Wright Redux Association 1903 WRIGHT FLYER accident near Bolingbrook, Illinois, October 14, 2003
On October 14, 2003 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Wright Redux Association 1903 WRIGHT FLYER, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N203WF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bolingbrook, Illinois (Clow International Airport). 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 inadequate planning/decision by the pilot to begin a flight in gusting wind conditions, the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane, and the stall encountered by the pilot during takeoff. The wind gusts were a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 2003 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bolingbrook, Illinois · Clow International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Wright Redux Association 1903 WRIGHT FLYER, amateur-built
- Registration
- N203WF · registry record · serial WOW-1903-02
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental exhibition replica of a 1903 Wright Flyer impacted terrain after it stalled about 30 feet above ground level after takeoff The pilot stated that upon reaching the end of the launch rail, he encountered a wind gust at the same time that he was pulling back on the stick, resulting in the airplane pitching upward to about 30 degrees. The wind gusts recorded 15 minutes prior to the accident indicated that they were gusting to 20 knots, and to 26 knots 5 minutes after the accident. The private pilot had a total flight time of 650 hours, of which 6 minutes were in the accident 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 529 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 27, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 15, 2003; 0.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 760 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Packer Engineering 1903 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1C5 Bolingbrook IL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 1C5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 600 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.67 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from LOT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.