Boeing A75N1 and Vultee BT-13 accident near Huntley, Illinois, July 22, 1984
On July 22, 1984 at about 11:15 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing A75N1 (N55070) and Vultee BT-13 (N176VR), were involved in the same accident near Huntley, Illinois (Landings airport). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 22, 1984 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Huntley, Illinois · Landings · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing A75N1 · all A75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N55070 · no longer on the register · serial 75-1486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Vultee BT-13
- Registration
- N176VR · no longer on the register · serial 7174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing A75N1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF A BOEING A75, N55070, & A VULTEE BT-13, N176VR, WHERE IN FORMATION AS THEY APCHD THEIR DESTINATION. WHEN THE SAW THE ARPT, THEY SEPARATED FOR SEPARATE LANDINGS & LOST SIGHT OF EACH OTHER. BEFORE LANDING, BOTH FLTS FLEW OVER THE ARPT & NOTED THE WIND WAS NEARLY A 90 DEG X-WIND. THERE WS NO UNICOM AT THE PVT STRIP. THE BT-13 PLT MADE RADIO CALLS IN THE PATTERN ON 122.9, BUT THE RADIO IN THE A75 WAS INOP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLTS LANDED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. THE BT-13 PLT LANDED ON RWY 13. HE SAW THE A75 IN A LEFT PATTERN FOR RWY 31, BUT AT 1ST, HE THOUGHT THE A75 PLT WAS GOING TO MAKE A LOW PASS. WHEN THE A75 CONTINUED & DROPPED BELOW HIS LINE OF VISION. HE REALIZED IT WAS GOING TO LAND. HE TURNED RIGHT TO DEPART THE RWY, BUT THE LEFT WING OF EACH ACFT HIT THE OTHER. THE A75 PLT SAID THAT BECAUSE HE WAS LANDING TOWARD THE SUN & WAS LOOKING AT THE WIND SOCK, HE DID NOT SEE THE BT-13 UNTIL APRX 1 SECOND BEFORE THE IMPACT. THE SEGMENTED CIRCLE ON THE ARPT INDICATED THAT A RIGHT PATTERN SHOULD BE USED FOR RWY 31.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Vultee BT-13 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF A BOEING A75, N55070, & A VULTEE BT-13, N176VR, WHERE IN FORMATION AS THEY APCHD THEIR DESTINATION. WHEN THE SAW THE ARPT, THEY SEPARATED FOR SEPARATE LANDINGS & LOST SIGHT OF EACH OTHER. BEFORE LANDING, BOTH PLTS FLEW OVER THE ARPT & NOTED THE WIND WAS NEARLY A 90 DEG X-WIND. THERE WAS NO UNICOM AT THE PVT STRIP. THE BT-13 PLT MADE RADIO CALLS IN THE PATTERN ON 122.9, BUT THE RADIO IN THE A75 WAS INOP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLTS LANDED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS. THE BT-13 PLT LANDED ON RWY 13. HE SAW THE A75 IN A LEFT PATTERN FOR RWY 31, BUT AT 1ST, HE THOUGHT THE A75 PLT WAS GOING TO MAKE A LOW PASS. WHEN THE A75 CONTINUED & DROPPED BELOW HIS LINE OF VISION, HE REALIZED IT WAS GOING TO LAND. HE TURNED RIGHT TO DEPART THE RWY, BUT THE LEFT WING OF EACH ACFT HIT THE OTHER. THE A75 PLT SAID THAT BECAUSE HE WAS LANDING TOWARD THE SUN & WAS LOOKING AT THE WIND SOCK, HE DID NOT SEE THE BT-13 UNTIL APRX 1 SECOND BEFORE THE IMPACT. THE SEGMENTED CIRCLE ON THE ARPT INDICATED THAT A RIGHT PATTERN SHOULD BE USED FOR RWY 31.
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 for the Boeing A75N1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,805 hours in all; 272 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1,785 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,374 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 10, 1984; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,717 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R-680-E3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0C0 Harvard IL at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,150 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from DPA, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Vultee BT-13 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,210 hours in all; 415 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0C0 Harvard IL at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,150 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.