Boeing B-17G accident near Oswego, Illinois, June 13, 2011
On June 13, 2011 at about 2:47 pm local time, a Boeing B-17G, registered N390TH, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Oswego, Illinois (Aurora Municipal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadequate repair of the fuel tank that allowed the fuel leak to continue, ultimately resulting in an in-flight fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2011 · about 2:47 pm local time
- Place
- Oswego, Illinois · Aurora Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing B-17G · all B-17Gs on the register
- Registration
- N390TH · registry record · serial 44-85734
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The weekend before the accident, a fuel leak was identified. The fuel leak was subsequently repaired, and a final inspection the morning of the accident flight reportedly did not reveal any evidence of a continued fuel leak. Shortly after takeoff, the flight crew noticed a faint odor in the cockpit and a small amount of smoke near the radio room. The flight crew immediately initiated a turn with the intention of returning to the departure airport. About that time, they received a radio call from the pilot of the accompanying airplane advising that there was a fire visible on the left wing. The accident pilot subsequently executed an emergency landing to a corn field. Emergency crews were hampered by the muddy field conditions, and the fire ultimately consumed significant portions airframe. In-flight photographs showed the presence of fire on the aft lower portion of the left wing between the inboard and outboard engines. Located in the same area of the fire were fuel tanks feeding the left-side engines. After landing, heavy fire conditions were present on the left side of the airplane, and the fire spread to the fuselage. A postaccident examination noted that the C-channel installed as part of the No. 1 main fuel tank repair earlier in the week was partially separated. During the examination, the tank was filled with a small amount of water, which then leaked from the aft section of the repair area in the vicinity of the partially separated channel. Metallurgical examination of the repair area revealed a longitudinal fatigue crack along the weld seam. The fatigue nature of the crack was consistent with a progressive failure along the fuel tank seam that existed before the accident flight and was separate from the damage sustained in the emergency landing and postlanding fire. The repair earlier in the week attempted to seal the leak but did not address the existing crack itself. In fact, the length of the crack observed at the time of the repair was about one-half the length of the crack noted during the postaccident examination, suggesting that the crack progressed rapidly during the course of the accident flight. Because the repaired fuel tank was positioned within the open wing structure, a fuel leak of significant volume would have readily vaporized, producing a flammable fuel vapor/air mixture. Although the exact ignition source could not be determined due to the fire damage, it is likely that the fuel vapor and liquid fuel encountered hot surfaces from nearby engine components, which initiated the in-flight fire.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,178 hours in all; 438 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 4,454 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,579 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 10, 2011; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 54,000 lb
- Seats: 36
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Wright R-1820-97 (piston); 1,125 hours total
- Engine 2: Wright R-1820-97 (piston); 425 hours total
- Engine 3: Wright R-1820-97 (piston); 1,530 hours total
- Engine 4: Wright R-1820-97 (piston); 100 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
- Operator: Liberty Foundation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Aurora IL at 2:38 pm
- Destination: MQJ Indianapolis IN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from ARR, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN11FA383.