Amateur-built STOL CH750 accident near Byron, Illinois, January 15, 2025
On January 15, 2025 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built STOL CH750, registered N749WJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Byron, 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 inadvertently moved the ignition key to the off position and broke the key, which resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 2025 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Byron, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STOL CH750, built 2012
- Registration
- N749WJ · registry record · serial 75-7751
- 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 while in cruise flight, he noticed that his heavy keychain was pulling the key out of the ignition switch. He reached down to push the key back in, but inadvertently moved the key to the off position due to the thick glove on his hand, which resulted in a loss of engine power. When he attempted to reinsert the key and restart the engine, the key broke inside the ignition switch. He was unable to use the broken key to restart the engine. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no other mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › (general) › (general) › Unintentional use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 654 hours in all; 542 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 654 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ul Power 350i (piston); 563 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C73 Dixon IL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 1C8 Rockford IL
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.42 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from KRFD, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRFD 151654Z 21011KT 10SM CLR M09/M17 A3042 RMK AO2 SLP317 T10891167
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident airplane, left side
Photograph 2 – Accident airplane, right side
Photograph 3 – Right wing damageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 2025. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.