Amateur-built T BIRD II accident near Carlock, Illinois, April 15, 2009
On April 15, 2009 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built T BIRD II, registered N154ZX, suffered minor damage in an accident during takeoff near Carlock, Illinois. 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's failure to gain sufficient altitude during the takeoff in order to avoid contacting the cameraman. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2009 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carlock, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built T BIRD II
- Registration
- N154ZX · no longer on the register · serial REW 1254
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was taking off at an airspeed of 40 miles per hour when the right main landing gear contacted a cameraman who was sitting on the grass airstrip. The cameraman, who was seriously injured, was going to film the light sport airplane as it took off and flew directly over him. The uncertificated pilot stated that he was not able to gain sufficient altitude to avoid contacting the cameraman. The pilot purchased the airplane approximately 2 months prior to the accident. His logbook showed 2 entries for a total of 3.3 hours of dual flight time in another make and model 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
- Runway incursion veh/AC/person during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Person › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 3 hours in all; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,071 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Carlock IL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Carlock IL
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from BMI, 13 miles away
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.