Amateur-built S.E. 5A accident near Bolingbrook, Illinois, July 24, 1982
On July 24, 1982 at about 5:33 pm local time, a amateur-built S.E. 5A, registered N8040Z, was destroyed in an accident near Bolingbrook, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1982 · about 5:33 pm local time
- Place
- Bolingbrook, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S.E. 5A
- Registration
- N8040Z · registry record · serial 072040
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOTS OF AN AUSTIN S.E. 5A AND A FOLKER (BOTH WW I REPLICA AIRCRAFT) AGREED TO MAKE A PHOTO FLY-BY. THE PILOT OF THE AUSTIN TOOK OFF AS NUMBER ONE, BUT INSTEAD OF REMAINING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, HE TURNED OUT OF THE PATTERN. THE FOLKER PILOT FOLLOWED IN TRAIL. REPORTEDLY, THE TWO AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DOG FIGHT TYPE OF PATTERN WHICH INVOLVED TURNS, DIVES AND CLIMBS. WHILE MANEUVERING, THE AUSTIN WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A TURN OF ALMOST 180 DEGREES WHILE AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 200 TO 300 FT. THE PLANE THEN ROLLED LEVEL AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN ABOUT 45 DEGREES. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE PLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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: 1,119 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,048 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 90 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bolingbrook IL at 12:15 pm
- Destination: Bolingbrook IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from DPA, 15 miles away
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.