North American AT-6G accident near Dixon, Illinois, July 4, 1985
On July 4, 1985 at about 8:00 pm local time, a North American AT-6G, registered N29931, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dixon, Illinois (Dixon Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1985 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dixon, Illinois · Dixon Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6G · all AT-6Gs on the register
- Registration
- N29931 · registry record · serial 49-3449
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE PLT MADE A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING WHILE FOLLOWING AN SNJ ACFT. HE STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE ACFT HAD ACCELERATED TO 85 MPH WHEN HE LOWERED THE TAIL SLIGHTLY & THE ACFT LIFTED OFF NORMALLY. HE REPORTED THAT THE ACFT WAS APRX 4 TO 5 FT OFF THE RWY WHEN IT STARTED TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT. HE CORRECTED WITH AILERON & RUDDER, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS FROM 190 TO 200 DEG AT 12 KTS. APRX 35 MI NNE AT ROCKVILLE, IL, THE 1452 CDT WIND WAS FROM 210 DEG AT 18 KTS.
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
What happened, in order
- VORTEX TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERED during takeoff - initial climb
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during takeoff - initial climb
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during takeoff
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, helicopter
- Flight time: 1,070 hours in all; 226 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 755 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,447 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, July 23, 1984; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scattered at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°C, dew point 63°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from RFD, 736 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N29931 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI85LA268.