Amateur-built III accident near Ford Heights, Illinois, October 20, 2020
On October 20, 2020 at about 10:10 pm local time, a amateur-built III, registered N713MJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ford Heights, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2020 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Ford Heights, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built III
- Registration
- N713MJ · no longer on the register · serial 3285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on a local flight and his flight track indicated he was returning to his departure airport when the accident occurred. A witness reported seeing the airplane at a low altitude “dragging” a light pole across the highway. The airplane then impacted the highway and came to rest in a wooded area alongside the road. Another witness reported that it sounded like the engine lost power and momentarily regained power before losing it again. The wing fuel tanks were breached in the accident, and the amount of fuel on board could not be determined. The two-bladed, constant speed propeller remained attached to the engine. One blade had minimal damage, the second blade’s tip was bent back, starting about mid-span, and the leading edge was rough; this damage was consistent with the propeller not rotating at the time of impact. The engine was equipped with an electric ignition system and was unable to be field tested. The engine examination did not identify any preimpact anomalies that would affect engine operation. The witness statement and signatures on the propeller are consistent with a loss of engine power; however, a reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on the available evidence. Reviewed records show that ketamine was administered to the pilot after the crash. Thus, the postmortem toxicology results provide no evidence of any pre-crash use of potentially impairing substances by the pilot.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 951 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KIGQ Chicago IL at 9:45 pm
- Destination: KIGQ Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from IGQ, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
12 documents, released by the NTSB on June 22, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electronic Device - Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA On-scene Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Track | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Examination Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Fuel Sample | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Witness | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 12 | Medical Factual Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N713MJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.