Amateur-built Christen Eagle II accident near Plainfield, Illinois, June 15, 2001
On June 15, 2001 at about 1:05 am local time, a amateur-built Christen Eagle II, registered N80VB, was destroyed in an accident near Plainfield, Illinois (Riley'S Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the improper in-flight planning/decision and the aircraft control not maintained by the pilot. The thunderstorm outflow was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2001 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Illinois · Riley'S Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Christen Eagle II
- Registration
- N80VB · registry record · serial VanderBeek-001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed following an uncontrolled descent into terrain. The pilot was performing aerobatic maneuvers when a reported gust front from convective activity moved through the area at the time of the accident. The pilot did not remember the circumstances leading to the accident but did report that there were no mechanical malfunction failures with the airplane. Postaccident examination of the airplane reveled no anomalies.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,313 hours in all; 584 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 3,758 as pilot in command; 1,256 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 28, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 535.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2001; 3.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-AIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LL51 Plainfield IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 360, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.