Well-well:

CHI95FA161
HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 29, 1995, at 2004 central daylight time, a Beech A35, N8480A,
registered to GRS Company of Downers Grove, Illinois, impacted terrain
and trees off the departure end of runway 27, at Brookeridge Air Park
in Downers Grove, Illinois. The airplane was destroyed by impact and
post crash fire. The pilot and one passenger sustained serious
injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual
meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight
was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot stated that the airplane had been flown by a partner on a
flight to and from the Saint Louis, Missouri, area in the week prior to
the accident. When the airplane was in Saint Louis, it was fueled to
the top of both main tanks and the auxiliary tank with 100 LL aviation
fuel. The airplane was parked outside overnight while in Saint Louis.

When the airplane was returned to Brookeridge Air Park it was placed in
the pilot's hangar where it remained until the day of the accident. The
pilot stated that he pre-flighted the airplane in the morning of the
accident and found nothing unusual during the inspection. He said that
he drained the sumps and found no water or foreign matter in the fuel.
He did note that there was 100 LL in the main tanks.

He and a passenger conducted one local flight, which he described to be
less than one hour. At the end of this flight he landed and taxied to
the fuel pump where he serviced the two main tanks to the top with 80
octane aviation fuel. He stated that he did not drain the sumps after
the tanks were filled.

Again with one passenger, he prepared for another local flight. He said
he taxied N8480A to the east end of runway 27, did a normal run-up and
went through the checklist. He said that the fuel valve was selected to
the left tank. He said that the reason he knew this was from a visual
inspection and the fact that it was customary to start on the left tank
since all fuel bypassed by the carburetor was returned to the left
tank. He said that at no time during the day did he select the
auxiliary tank. He said that he was of the opinion that it was empty
and had no intention to use it.

He said that takeoff was normal, the airplane accelerated normally, and
a positive rate of climb was noted. At that time he selected the
landing gear to be retracted and started the flaps up. He said that at
about 75 to 100 feet above the ground the engine sustained a total
power loss. He said that he lowered the nose and changed the fuel to
the right tank and started pumping the manual fuel pump (wobble pump).
When this did not restore engine power, he took his left hand off the
wobble pump and held the yoke, while he moved the magneto switch with
his right hand. He then said that he realized that continued flight was
not possible and directed his attention to getting the airplane back on
the ground since there were trees ahead. He said he left the throttle
full open. He indicated that he had to force the airplane to the
ground, but due to the excess speed was able to use rudder control to
steer the airplane between two trees and avoid a residence.

He said that after the airplane came to rest there was a large fire
surrounding the airplane. He and his passenger exited the airplane
quickly, but both suffered serious thermal injuries.

The pilot stated that he did not know what caused the loss of power.

A witness to the accident furnished a written statement including
information similar to that of the pilot. He said that when he
approached the pilot just after the accident, the pilot told him that
he had switched the fuel tanks to get a restart, but there was no time.
This witness stated that once the airplane suffered a power loss, he
never heard it regain power.

OTHER DAMAGE

Trees were damaged during the impact and post accident fire.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

The pilot, born July 16, 1955, was the holder of a commercial
certificate and a flight instructor's certificate. He had ratings for
single and multi-engine land airplanes and an instrument rating for
airplanes. He was the holder of a second class medical issued October
27, 1994. His most recent biennial flight review was in the accident
airplane on November 11, 1994. His total flight experience was 1,087
hours with 47 hours in this make and model of airplane.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Beech A35, serial number D-1900, N8480A. The
airplane had a total time in service of 4,878 hours at the time of the
accident. The most recent annual was conducted on April 20, 1995, and
had accumulated 19 hours since that inspection.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The first indication of ground scars were horizontal cuts in the
taxiway/overrun of runway 27. The slashes were consistent with size and
location of the propeller blades. There were eleven parallel strikes.
The distance between the first two was 35.5 inches. From the beginning
of the marks to the main wreckage was a distance of 365 feet.

All components of the accident airplane were found in the debris trail.
The general heading of the ground scars followed the original departure
path and impacted trees at the departure end of the taxiway. The
fuselage remained upright and cabin door allowed egress for the
occupants.

The landing gear and flaps were retracted. No pre-existing mechanical
anomalies were found in the wreckage during the post accident
examination.

Both the right and left wing were broken away from the fuselage in the
vicinity of the fuel tanks allowing the fuel to spill out.

No fuel remained in either tank for examination. The fuel valve was on
the right tank selection.

FIRE

There was a post impact fire, which ignited during the impact and
destroyed much of the left wing and substantially damaged the fuselage.
The airplane had been fueled to the top of the main tanks just prior to
the accident.