Amateur-built Super Sky Raider accident near Tuscola, Illinois, October 20, 2008
On October 20, 2008 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Super Sky Raider, registered N3903B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Tuscola, Illinois (Tuscola Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain directional control during takeoff roll. A contributing factor was the cornfield and the pilot's lack of recent experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2008 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tuscola, Illinois · Tuscola Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Super Sky Raider
- Registration
- N3903B · registry record · serial 07
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was attempting to takeoff from an unpaved runway. During the takeoff roll, the tail wheel equipped, amateur-built airplane started to "angle to the right." The pilot applied hard left rudder pedal, but the airplane continued to turn right and went off the right side of the 30-foot wide runway, and traveled about 35 feet into a cornfield. The airplane was equipped with heel brakes on the bottom of the rudder pedals, but applying pressure to the top of the rudder pedals operated the rudder. The inspection of the airplane revealed that the rudder operated correctly when the left and right rudder pedals were actuated. The right brake actuated when the right brake pedal was applied. The left brake was not actuated due to the impact damage to the left landing gear leg and wheel. The pilot's logbook indicated that he had not flown between 1981 and August 2008. The pilot had flown 1 hour in the accident airplane with an instructor pilot. The accident flight was the pilot's first solo flight in the accident airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Recent experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 585 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: K96 Tuscola IL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: K96 Tuscola IL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 27, 2,660 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.