# NTSB CHI81FEE33: Sonerai 1, N5794, Cortland, IL, May 25, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: May 25, 1981
- Place: Cortland, IL · CORTLAND, IL
- Location: 41.9372° N, 88.6893° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Cortland, IL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9372&lon=-88.6893&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 21, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 125340
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI81FEE33
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI81FEE33

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2750  81/5/25  NR.CORTLAND,IL        SONERAI 1           CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 54, 1000
        TIME - 1500                    N5794               PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 600 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          WEST CHICAGO,IL             LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS - UNDETERMINED
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
           AIRFRAME - WINGS: SPARS
        REMARKS- SLOW COUNTERCLOCKWISE BARREL ROLL,WINGS LEVELED,THEN SLIGHT NOSE & R WING DOWN ATTITUDE.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N5794 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SONERAI 1
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19810525027759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810525027759A), May 25, 1981: Amtrmo SONERAI, Cortland, IL, Destroyed. Pilot was performing aerobatics and recovered from manuever then aircraft was observed diving into ground.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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