Schleicher ASK-21 accident near Plainfield, Illinois, March 7, 1987
On March 7, 1987 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Schleicher ASK-21 (glider), registered N694KS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plainfield, Illinois (Clow airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- March 7, 1987 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Plainfield, Illinois · Clow · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schleicher ASK-21 · all ASK-21s on the register
- Registration
- N694KS · registry record · serial 21211
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER PLT RPRTD THAT DRG TAKEOFF, THE TOW PLT RELEASED THE TOW ROPE AT APRX 15' AGL. RPRTDLY, HE RELEASED THE TOW ROPE DUE TO A PERCEIVED LACK OF TAKEOFF & CLIMB PERFORMANCE. AFTER BEING RELEASED, THE GLIDER PLT MADE A RIGHT TURN TO AVOID UNACCEPTABLE TERRAIN AHEAD. WHILE TURNING, THE RIGHT WING TIP HIT THE GROUND & THEN THE GLIDER CRASH LANDED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,602 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 455 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1986; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Windy Sity Soaring, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from ARR, 17 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.