Eclipse Aviation Corporation EA500 incident near Rockford, Illinois, July 17, 2008
On July 17, 2008 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Eclipse Aviation Corporation EA500, registered N875NA, suffered minor damage in an incident during enroute (cruise) near Rockford, Illinois. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the forward edge of the left-hand wing-to-body panel, causing the fairing to separate from the airplane during an in-flight encounter with light turbulence. Contributing to the event was the use of small-head screws and grommets in securing the fairing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2008 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Rockford, Illinois · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eclipse Aviation Corporation EA500
- Registration
- N875NA · no longer on the register · serial 18
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The positioning flight was in cruise flight and had just encountered light turbulence when the left-hand wing-to-body fairing separated from the airplane. The panel had been last removed by company maintenance personnel performing maintenance relating to the autopilot system. The forward flat portion of panel had four screw holes in the underlying structure, but the fairing had only three screw holes. Inspection of the operator's other EA500 airplanes showed that some fairings made use of four screw holes while others made use of three screw holes even though four screw holes were available in the underlying structure. An inspection of the airplane revealed that all of the screws were intact except for three screws located at the forward flat edge of the fairing. The respective nuts for these three screws were in place. All but one of the screws and grommets for the curved fairing piece had pulled through the fairing and were attached to the underlying structure. Two and possibly three screw holes at the forward edge of the flat piece of fairing did not have grommets in place and radial cracking of the finished coat was observed at these holes. Also, a delamination ring was observed on the backside of the flat piece of fairing at the screw holes. With the absence of grommets there is a reduced force necessary to pull through the fairing. The outer diameter of the screw head and grommet differ by 0.040 inch. Larger grommets with an integral flange are used in other areas of the airplane, which provide more surface area, distribute contact forces, and improve adhesion to the screw hole. According to the operator, the repetitive removal of screws would result in the countersunk metal grommets loosening from their adhesive bond to the composite fairing.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Wing auxiliary structure › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Wing auxiliary structure › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › Fasteners › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 3,100 as pilot in command; 2,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,675 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 1,420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 5,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PW 610F-A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: North American Jet Charters Group, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PNA Pinedale WY at 7:06 pm
- Destination: PWK Chicago/Prospec IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from RFD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.