Piper PA-18A-150 accident near Lawrenceville, Illinois, June 15, 2006
On June 15, 2006 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A-150, registered N9779D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrenceville, Illinois (Lawrenceville-Vincennes Intl airport). It was a glider-towing 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 visual separation from the glider attempted by the tow pilot and traffic advisories from the glider not received by the tow pilot. The airport sign/marker 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, 2006 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Illinois · Lawrenceville-Vincennes Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-150 · all PA-18A-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9779D · registry record · serial 18-6848
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tow airplane was returning to the uncontrolled airport after releasing a glider that was operated by a soaring club. The pilot of the tow airplane stated that he entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 27 and saw another aircraft taking off from runway 27. The pilot of the tow airplane decided to continue the approach and to land on the grass next to runway 27. After he touched down, he observed a glider attempting to land in the opposite direction. The glider pilot appeared to overshoot the centerline and was heading for the tow airplane. The tow airplane pilot turned right towards the runway to avoid the glider, but the glider turned towards him. The tow airplane pilot turned back to the left and impacted a runway sign. According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 27 had the same traffic pattern for engine-driven aircraft and gliders. The tow pilot stated that he did not hear any radio transmissions from the glider on the LWV common traffic advisory frequency.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWV
- Destination: LWV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,198 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from LWV
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.