Amateur-built Q-2 accident near Chicago, Illinois, July 28, 1983
On July 28, 1983 at about 6:43 pm local time, a amateur-built Q-2, registered N812WB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago-Midway 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
- July 28, 1983 · about 6:43 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago-Midway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Q-2
- Registration
- N812WB · no longer on the register · serial 2535
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING AN EN ROUTE STOP, THE ACFT LANDED HARD, THEN BOUNCED & WAS DAMAGED IN THE AREA OF THE TAILWHEEL. REPORTEDLY, THE TAILWHEEL SPRING SEPARATED, THE RUDDER PEDALS FLOPPED FORWARD & CONTROL OF THE RUDDER WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT, WENT OFF THE RWY & THE LEFT CANARD WAS BROKEN WHEN IT HIT A CLUMP OF DIRT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE CANARD HAD LOST EFFICIENCY DUE TO ENCOUNTERING BUGS IN FLT.
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: 630 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 560 as pilot in command; 70 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1983; 30 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster 2100D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Port Columbus OH at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22L, 6,102 ft by 175 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 23,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.