N37E

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 28, 2014, about 2002 central daylight time, a Cessna model T337G airplane, N37E, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees and terrain during cruise-descent near Plano, Illinois. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Inline Aviation LTD under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight. The flight departed Litchfield Municipal Airport (3LF), Litchfield, Illinois, about 1855 and was en route to Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), Sugar Grove, Illinois.

According to air traffic control data, after departing 3LF, the flight proceeded on a direct course toward ARR and climbed to a cruise altitude of 7,500 ft mean sea level (msl). At 1951:52 (hhmm:ss), the pilot established radio contact with the Aurora tower controller and reported being about 15 minutes to the south of the airport and asked if the tower closed at 2100. The tower controller answered "affirmative" and the pilot replied that he would be landing in a few minutes.

At 1954:54, the airplane entered a cruise-descent that continued until the end of available radar data at 2001:59. At 1959:41, the pilot reported being 10 miles to the south inbound for landing with Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) information Delta. The tower controller told the pilot to enter a left base for runway 27 and to report being 2 miles from the airport. At 2000:01, the pilot acknowledged the clearance to make a left base for runway 27.

At 2000:11, the pilot asked if runway 9 was available. The tower controller replied that runway 9 was unavailable because runway 27 was the airport's designated calm-wind runway. At 2000:28, the pilot replied that he would "overfly the airport then and do a left base for... no, no, I'll do a left base for [runway] 27." The tower controller confirmed that from the southeast it would be a left base for runway 27.

At 2000:43, the pilot stated "I'm spotting some other traffic on here, I assume you are tracking them also?" The tower controller asked the pilot to ident his airplane's transponder. At 2001:05, the tower controller confirmed that he observed the accident flight's transponder ident at 1,800 ft msl and that the only observed traffic was ahead of and to the east of the flight's position was at 5,000 ft msl or higher. At 2001:16, the pilot replied "37 echo." No additional radio communications were received from the accident flight. A postaccident review of radar track data confirmed that there was no traffic that would have conflicted with the accident flight.

The final radar return was recorded at 2001:59, about 0.4 miles southwest of the accident site, at 900 ft msl (about 250 ft above ground level). According to radar data, the airplane maintained a ground speed of about 150 knots and an average descent rate of 1,050 ft/min during the final two minutes of the flight. Additionally, the available radar data established that the pilot did not attempt to slow the airplane's descent before impact. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the 80-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single engine land and multiengine airplane ratings. The multiengine rating was limited to airplanes equipped with centerline thrust. The pilot did not have an instrument rating. The pilot's last aviation medical examination was completed on October 3, 2012, when he was issued a third-class medical certificate with a limitation for corrective lenses. A search of FAA records showed no previous accidents, incidents, or enforcement proceedings. His last flight review, as required by FAA regulation 61.56, was completed on October 10, 2012, in the accident airplane. The pilot's flight history was reconstructed using his pilot logbook and an airplane utilization logbook that was recovered from the wreckage. The pilot's most recent flight was completed on September 8, 2014, at which time he had accumulated 1,654.8 hours total flight time, of which 1,525.8 hours were listed as pilot-in-command. He had accumulated 195.0 hours in single engine airplanes and 1,407.2 hours in multi-engine airplanes. Additionally, he had logged 7.6 hours in actual instrument meteorological conditions, 88.2 hours in simulated instrument meteorological conditions, and 478.4 hours at night. According to available logbook information, the pilot had completed three flights, totaling 6.8 hours, during the previous 12 months. The three flights were completed in the accident airplane on July 20, 2014, August 14, 2014, and September 8, 2014. The pilot accumulated a total of 2.5 hours of night experience during the July 20th and August 14th flights. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a 1973 Cessna model T337G, serial number (s/n) P3370127. Two 225-horsepower Continental model TSIO-360 reciprocating engines powered the airplane through controllable-pitch, full feathering, two blade, McCauley propellers. The pressurized airplane had a retractable tricycle landing gear and a certified maximum gross weight of 4,700 pounds. The airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on July 23, 1973.

The last annual inspection of the airplane was completed on May 20, 2014, at 5,389.3 total airframe hours. The hour meter indicated 3,372.0 hours at the annual inspection. According to an airplane utilization logbook, the airplane's hour meter indicated 3,389.6 hours before the previous flight leg (ARR to 3LF), which was completed earlier on the day of the accident. The airplane's hour meter was not located at the accident site. Based on utilization records, the airplane had accrued 17.6 hours since the annual inspection. The static system, altimeter system, automatic pressure altitude reporting system, and transponder were last tested on May 7, 2012.

The front engine, a Continental model TSIO-360-DCC, s/n 50R420, was installed on the accident airplane on June 29, 1992, following a field overhaul. At the last annual inspection, the engine had accumulated 1,393 hours since overhaul. The front propeller was a McCauley model D2AF34C303-A, s/n 733999. At the last annual inspection, the propeller had accumulated 772 hours since the last overhaul completed on April 11, 1997.

The rear engine, a Continental model TSIO-360-CB6B, s/n 236274-R, was installed on the accident airplane on April 1, 2000, after being rebuilt by the manufacturer. At the last annual inspection, the engine had accumulated 616.6 hours since being rebuilt by the manufacturer. The rear propeller was a McCauley model D2AF34C305-A, s/n 783238. At the last annual inspection, the propeller had accumulated 772 hours since the last overhaul completed on April 11, 1997.

A postaccident review of the maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues.

The airplane had a total fuel capacity of 125 gallons (123 gallons usable) distributed between two wing fuel tanks. The cockpit fuel flow indicator showed that there was 67 gallons of fuel remaining at the time of the accident. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 1952, the automated surface observing system (ASOS) located at Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), about 10 miles north-northeast of the accident site, reported: calm wind, clear sky, 10 mile surface visibility, temperature 18 degrees Celsius, dew point 12 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.08 inches of mercury.

The United States Naval Observatory data indicated that the sunset and end of civil twilight at the accident site were at 1841 and 1909, respectively. Moon transit, the time at which the moon is highest in the sky, occurred at 1615 and the moonset was at 2121. The moon was in a waxing crescent phase, with 19-percent of the moon's visible disk illuminated. Additionally, the accident site was located in a sparsely populated area with minimal illumination from ground light sources. As such, dark nighttime conditions likely existed at the time of the accident. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a 1973 Cessna model T337G, serial number (s/n) P3370127. Two 225-horsepower Continental model TSIO-360 reciprocating engines powered the airplane through controllable-pitch, full feathering, two blade, McCauley propellers. The pressurized airplane had a retractable tricycle landing gear and a certified maximum gross weight of 4,700 pounds. The airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on July 23, 1973.

The last annual inspection of the airplane was completed on May 20, 2014, at 5,389.3 total airframe hours. The hour meter indicated 3,372.0 hours at the annual inspection. According to an airplane utilization logbook, the airplane's hour meter indicated 3,389.6 hours before the previous flight leg (ARR to 3LF), which was completed earlier on the day of the accident. The airplane's hour meter was not located at the accident site. Based on utilization records, the airplane had accrued 17.6 hours since the annual inspection. The static system, altimeter system, automatic pressure altitude reporting system, and transponder were last tested on May 7, 2012.

The front engine, a Continental model TSIO-360-DCC, s/n 50R420, was installed on the accident airplane on June 29, 1992, following a field overhaul. At the last annual inspection, the engine had accumulated 1,393 hours since overhaul. The front propeller was a McCauley model D2AF34C303-A, s/n 733999. At the last annual inspection, the propeller had accumulated 772 hours since the last overhaul completed on April 11, 1997.

The rear engine, a Continental model TSIO-360-CB6B, s/n 236274-R, was installed on the accident airplane on April 1, 2000, after being rebuilt by the manufacturer. At the last annual inspection, the engine had accumulated 616.6 hours since being rebuilt by the manufacturer. The rear propeller was a McCauley model D2AF34C305-A, s/n 783238. At the last annual inspe...