Amateur-built Q2 accident near Decatur, Illinois, August 9, 1983
On August 9, 1983 at about 9:50 pm local time, a amateur-built Q2, registered N7QA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Illinois (Decatur 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).
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
- August 9, 1983 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Illinois · Decatur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Q2
- Registration
- N7QA · no longer on the register · serial N7QA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A HARD LANDING AND BROKE THE FRONT CANARD AFTER BOUNCING ON TOUCHDOWN AND DRAGGING THE LEFT WING. THE PILOT HAD BEEN INFORMED BY THE TOWER THAT BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. THIS TURNED OUT TO BE FROM AN EXCESSIVELY RICH MIXTURE. THE PILOT LATER STATED THAT HE WAS NERVOUS PLUS THIS WAS HIS FIRST LANDING IN THIS ACFT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE COULD NOT SEEM TO GET THE PROPER ACFTATTITUDE FOR LANDING. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED DURING THE LANDING.
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: 340 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days; 230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 1983; 0 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Dq 2100 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 6,497 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.