Amateur-built SONERAI 2L accident near Plato Center, Illinois, September 22, 1984
On September 22, 1984 at about 8:20 pm local time, a amateur-built SONERAI 2L, registered N199B, was destroyed in an accident near Plato Center, Illinois (Olson airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- September 22, 1984 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Plato Center, Illinois · Olson
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SONERAI 2L
- Registration
- N199B · registry record · serial 1022L
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT STALLED & SPUN TO THE GROUND FROM ABOUT 200 FT AGL AFTER AN ABRUPT PULL-UP TO APRX 45 DEGREE DECK ANGLE DURING A PREMATURE LIFTOFF. THE PLT HAD BEEN OBSERVED MAKING HIGH SPEED TAXI RUNS 'TO GET THE FEEL OF THE ACFT'. AFTER A RUN RESULTED IN A LIFTOFF, THE RT WING DROPPED & ALMOST HIT THE RWY. THE PLT WAS OBSERVED RAISING THE WING BY APPLICATION OFTHE FLT CONTROLS BUT NO LOWERING OF THE NOSE OCCURRED. THE ACFT CONTINUED THE STEEPER THAN NORMAL CLIMB AND REACHED AN ALT OF APRX 150 FT AGL BEFORE THE RT WING DROPPED TWO MORE TIMES. ONE RECOVERY OF BANK WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE NOSE OFTHE ACFT STILL MAINTAINED IN A CLIMB ATTITUDE. THE WING DROPPED SHARPLY THE 3RD TIME AND THE ACFT WENT INTO A SPIN FROM WHICH NO RECOVERY WAS MADE. THE WITNESSES SAID THAT THE ACFT NEVER APPEARED TO REACH THE PROPER FLYING SPEED. THE ACFT OWNER HAD JUST FLOWN IN THIS ACFT WITH NO MECHANICAL DIFFICULTIES AS STATED IN HIS REPORT. THE PLT HAD LOGGED NO FLT TIME SINCE 1/4/84. NO MEDICAL OR MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,613 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,522 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 89 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 14, 1983; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 2374 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from DPA, 11 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.
Other NTSB records under N199B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.