Amateur-built MUSTANG II accident near West Chicago, Illinois, January 26, 1983
On January 26, 1983 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built MUSTANG II, registered N77HJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois (Dupage County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 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
- January 26, 1983 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MUSTANG II
- Registration
- N77HJ · no longer on the register · serial 928
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HOME BUILT ACFT WAS ON ITS 1ST FLT AFTER BEING CONSTRUCTED. THE TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED ON RWY 33 WITH THE WIND FROM 030 DEG AT 10 KTS. THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT WING LIFTED, BUT THE LEFT WING WOULD NOT COME UP. WHEN CONTROL BECAME DIFFICULT, HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF; HOWEVER, THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT HIT POSTS & WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING HAD BEEN 'WASHED DOWN' ABOUT 1 INCH DURING CONSTRUCTION. THIS PROVIDED IT WITH A CONSIDERABLY GREATER ANGLE OF ATTACK.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 985 hours in all; 9 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 24, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DPA
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.