What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 20, 2026, at approximately 1510 privacy data omitted departed whiteside county/ jos h bittorf field (ksqi) runway 25. Weather (wx) was VFR conditions with the wind indicated as 310 @ 14G22 KTS.
While on downwind of runway 25 the left-wing tip impacted the surface which propelled the nose of the aircraft into the surface where the aircraft came to rest approximately .5 miles south of (ksqi). The propellor displayed signs of low to no power at the time of impact. The pilot did not survive the crash.
The aircraft was demolished, resting on the belly. The propeller blade tips appeared straight, with one blade bending aft. There was ground scarring indicating the left wing and engine impacted the ground at a high angle and high velocity, and left wing was completely detached from the empennage. The right wing was still attached to the empennage. Rudder and horizontal stabilator control cables were intact, other control surface checks could not be completed due to the extent of damage, likely occurring upon impact. The landing gear (fixed) was demolished, with one wheel and tire assembly separated from the impact site. The left- and right-wing fuel tanks and engine carburetor float bowl were exposed to the atmosphere, leaving fuel quantity undetermined. There were no signs of fire.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 20, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1510 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED WHITESIDE COUNTY/ JOS H BITTORF FIELD (KSQI) RUNWAY 25. WEATHER (WX) WAS VFR CONDITIONS WITH THE WIND INDICATED AS 310 @ 14G22 KTS.
WHILE ON DOWNWIND OF RUNWAY 25 THE LEFT-WING TIP IMPACTED THE SURFACE WHICH PROPELLED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE SURFACE WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY .5 MILES SOUTH OF (KSQI). THE PROPELLOR DISPLAYED SIGNS OF LOW TO NO POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE PILOT DID NOT SURVIVE THE CRASH.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS DEMOLISHED, RESTING ON THE BELLY. THE PROPELLER BLADE TIPS APPEARED STRAIGHT, WITH ONE BLADE BENDING AFT. THERE WAS GROUND SCARRING INDICATING THE LEFT WING AND ENGINE IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A HIGH ANGLE AND HIGH VELOCITY, AND LEFT WING WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE EMPENNAGE. THE RIGHT WING WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE EMPENNAGE. RUDDER AND HORIZONTAL STABILATOR CONTROL CABLES WERE INTACT, OTHER CONTROL SURFACE CHECKS COULD NOT BE COMPLETED DUE TO THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE, LIKELY OCCURRING UPON IMPACT. THE LANDING GEAR (FIXED) WAS DEMOLISHED, WITH ONE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE IMPACT SITE. THE LEFT- AND RIGHT-WING FUEL TANKS AND ENGINE CARBURETOR FLOAT BOWL WERE EXPOSED TO THE ATMOSPHERE, LEAVING FUEL QUANTITY UNDETERMINED. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.