- Date
- June 16, 1991, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mundelein, IL
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19910616022061A19910616022062A
- Case key
- 15099
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
The pilot in command's not maintaining visual contact with the previously identified airplane.
The pilot-in-command's not maintaining visual contact with the previously identified airplane.
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
Pilots operating at a privately owned airport agreed to takeoff south and land north due to repeated complaints of a homeowner whose house is located 120 feet from the south runway's threshold. The pilot of an antique biplane had entered a downwind leg for the north runway and observed an airplane similar to his preparing for, what he believed was, a south takeoff. The pilot stated he then observed the airplane taxi off onto a parking area and thought that the other airplane saw him and cleared the runway for his landing. The pilot continued with the landing approach. Shortly after touhdown the airplane collided with the other airplane previously observed.
Pilots operating at a privately owned airport agreed to takeoff south and land north due to repeated complaints of a homeowner whose house is located 120 feet from the south runway's threshold. The pilot of an antique biplane was performing his pre-takeoff check when he observed an airplane similar to his on downwind for the runway opposite his intended takeoff runway. The pilot stated he looked again for the flying airplane and did not see him. He proceeded with the takeoff roll. Approximately halfway down the runway, the airplane collided with the previously observed airplane.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N59791
- Reported as
- Boeing A75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-3547
- Engine
- Continental W670-6A, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ronald R. Nystrom
- Registered owner
- Ronald R. Nystrom
- Airport
- LL09 · Air Estates, runway 18, 2,000 × 100 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.
- Registration
- N4408N
- Reported as
- Boeing B75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-7689
- Engine
- Lycoming R-680-E3B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Claude Sonday
- Registered owner
- Terrance P. Sonday
- Airport
- LL09 · Air Estates, runway 36, 2,000 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N59791
- Age
- 47
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Unknown
- Flight hours
- 872 total · 372 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N4408N
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,017 total · 911 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 45 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- UGN, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.