Amateur-built SKYBOLT accident near New Baden, Illinois, May 27, 1985
On May 27, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SKYBOLT, registered N64AB, was destroyed in an accident near New Baden, Illinois (Fischer airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 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
- May 27, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Baden, Illinois · Fischer · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKYBOLT
- Registration
- N64AB · no longer on the register · serial ARB-16
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT MADE A LOW PASS DOWN THE RWY (20 TO 30 FT AGL) AT AN AIRSPEED OF APRX 200 MPH. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A STEEP CLIMB AND AT ABOUT 100 AT AGL, THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT. THE ACFT LOST ALT DURING THE ROLL AND DESCENDED TO GROUND IMPACT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,756 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 377 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1985; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,079 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: New Baden IL at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from BVL, 15 miles away
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.