| Crash location | 42.114167°N, 87.901389°W |
| Nearest city | Wheeling, IL
42.110304°N, 87.947570°W 2.4 miles away |
| Tail number | N92RK |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 17 Jun 2005 |
| Aircraft type | Kirby Christen Eagle |
| Additional details: | None |
On June 17, 2005, at 1330 central daylight time, an amateur-built Kirby Christen Eagle, N92RK, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a taxiway light during a go-around from runway 06 (3,660 feet by 50 feet, dry asphalt) at the Palwaukee Municipal Airport (PWK), Wheeling, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight departed Morris Municipal Airport (C09), Morris, Illinois, at 1300.
The pilot reported that during the landing flare the airplane "caught gust of wind [and] we were moved to the right." The pilot stated that he noticed the airplane was not on the runway centerline and "decided to make a go-around, but little too late and caught a landing light." The pilot continued the go-around and made an uneventful landing.
Post-accident inspection of the airplane showed substantial damage to the leading edge of the lower-right wing. The damage was consistent with the lower-right wing striking a taxiway light. Fractured portions of a taxiway light were found adjacent to the runway during a post-accident examination.
Wind information was collected from the weather observing station located at PWK. The wind data recorded at 1353 indicated the wind was 050 degrees magnetic at 10 knots. No wind gusts were reported during the hour before and after the accident.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance, which resulted in the airplane drifting during the landing flare and impacting the taxiway light.