Czech Aircraft Works Sport Cruiser accident near Waukegan, Illinois, November 14, 2007
On November 14, 2007 at about 5:58 pm local time, a Czech Aircraft Works Sport Cruiser, registered N947DM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waukegan, Illinois (Waukegan Regional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to assure that all of his tools were accounted for prior to takeoff which resulted in the foreign object jamming the control stick and the pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane. A factor associated with the accident was the strong, gusty crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2007 · about 5:58 pm local time
- Place
- Waukegan, Illinois · Waukegan Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Czech Aircraft Works Sport Cruiser
- Registration
- N947DM · registry record · serial 07SC041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The takeoff was being made on runway 23. Upon takeoff the airplane began drifting to the right. The pilot applied left aileron and rudder, and the airplane started "banking hard right." He then applied full throttle and full left aileron, but the right bank angle kept increasing. The pilot reported that he kept the nose of the airplane up by applying left rudder, but the airplane continued to lose altitude. The right wing then contacted the runway and the airplane came to rest after having completed a 360 degree turn. Prior to the flight the pilot was working on the airplane and had used a magnetic block to magnetize a screwdriver. When finished, he set the block on the copilot seat and forgot about it. Following the accident the magnetic block was found lodged between the control stick and its mounting. This resulted in restricted movement of the control stick. The local winds were reported as being variable from 240 degrees to 310 degrees with gusts to 21 knots. The pilot reported the windsock showed the winds were from 270 degrees when he initiated his takeoff.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,934 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,890 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 38 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, August 1, 2007; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 5:58 pm
- Destination: UGN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from UGN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI08LA040.