- Date
- September 1, 1991, 16:37 local (21:37 UTC)
- Place
- Decatur, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N686EEVarga 2180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910901037399A
- Case key
- 15173
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
Inadequate preflight planning and preparation and airplane performance data not understood by the pilot. Factors associated with the accident are the pilot's lack of total experience in type of operation, delayed remedial action, and the operator's insufficient standards and requirements.
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 accident airplane collided with trees and terrain while attempting to climb from takeoff with a sailplane in tow. The sailplane released from the tow plane and returned to the departure airport. According to the pilot the airplane encountered light to moderate turbulence during initial climb and the airplane sank into trees one mile north of the airport. In an interview after the accident the pilot did not remember doing a weight and balance calculation before takeoff. When questioned about stall recognition and recovery the pilot stated that the accident airplane was different from other aircraft in that you only had to hold the nose up and the airplane would fly itself out. The density altitude at the time of the accident was 2500 feet. The airplane was estimated to be at or slightly above allowable gross weight at takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N686EE
- Reported as
- Varga 2180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- VAC17181
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Illinois Wing Civic Air Patrol
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Destination
- 4K4 · Hilvety, IL
- Airport
- DEC · Decatur
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 142 total · 109 in this make and model · 48 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DEC, 1 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.