Amateur-built GOLDWING accident near Greenville, Illinois, September 9, 1984
On September 9, 1984 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built GOLDWING, registered N3958C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenville, Illinois (Greenville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 9, 1984 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greenville, Illinois · Greenville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GOLDWING
- Registration
- N3958C · no longer on the register · serial 385
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS BELOW 1100 FT OVERCAST SKY. PASSING NORTH END OF FIELD AT 800 FT, PLT NOTED RAIN SHOWER AT SOUTH END & ELECTED TO LAND TO THE SOUTH. DURING APCH TURN THE LEFT WING DROPPED ABRUPTLY TO A NEAR-INVERTED ACFT ATTITUDE. PLT APPLIED FULL PWR AND CORRECTIVE CONTROL INPUTS BUT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH MUDDY TERRAINBEFORE RECOVERY WAS COMPLETED. PLT CITED WIND SHEAR.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 623 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 546 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1984; 16 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 430D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRE Greenville IL at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°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.