- Date
- April 8, 1990, 14:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place
- Lodge, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N55JJBellanca 7GCAA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900408007619A
- Case key
- 14653
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during takeoff. The crosswind and the soft/uneven terrain were factors related to the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private pilot was towing a glider. During the takeoff run in a strong crosswind, directional control was lost. The aircraft encountered a soft plowed field and nosed over. The glider pilot released the tow. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but the pilot reported no injuries. Takeoff was to the west. Twenty-two miles to the northeast, the winds were reported from 220 degrees at 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55JJ
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCAA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 311-75
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Illini Glider Club, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Illini Glider Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Airport
- runway 27, 2,000 × 70 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 919 total · 450 in this make and model · 910 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DEC, 22 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.