Aurora - Aurora

On May 22, 1989 at 10:45 AM, Aurora - Aurora experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-3, operated by Condor Enterprises, with the event recorded near Waterman Illinois.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 3 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Purpose of the flight was to provide training to the copilot for a new (part 135) operation. Witnesses observed the DC-3, N47CE, maneuvering at 3,000 feet msl (approximately 2,200 feet agl) with the gear and flaps extended. Shortly after completing a turn, the aircraft was observed in a nose high attitude, then it entered a spin. According to witnesses, the aircraft seemed to stop spinning, but it entered a secondary spin and crashed before recovery was accomplished. The pilot-in-command (pic) had 30 hours of flight time in the make/model of aircraft. No record was found to show that the pic had been trained in approaches to stalls. No preimpact part failure/malfunction of the aircraft was found, though it was destroyed by impact and fire. The copilot was a retired airline pilot, who had flown the DC-3 in the 1940's. An examination of the wreckage revealed the gear and flaps were (fully) extended and the elevator trim was set in a full nose up (trim) position. All three occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N47CE, MSN 13456, year of manufacture 1944.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 41.7717°, -88.7737°.