Amateur-built COOT accident near Franklin Grove, Illinois, May 21, 1987
On May 21, 1987 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built COOT, registered N81KX, was destroyed in an accident near Franklin Grove, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 21, 1987 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin Grove, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COOT
- Registration
- N81KX · registry record · serial T181
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPTD MENDOTA, IL ON A LOCAL TEST FLT UNDER A 40 HOUR TIME IN SERVICE RESTRICTION IN AN EXPERIMENTAL HOME BUILT AIRPLANE. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CIRCLING OVER HIS FARM AND THEN TURNED SOUTH. HE SAID THE ENG STALLED AND THE AIRPLANE CAME STRAIGHT DOWN. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO A SHED AND WAS COMPLETELY BURNED. CONTROL CONTINUITY TO THE MOVABLE CONTROLS COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED. NO RECORD OF WEIGHT AND BALANCE OR AMOUNT AND TYPE OF FUEL USED. CAUSE OF ENG FAILURE AND LOSS OF CONTROL IS UNDETERMINED. THE ENG WAS MELTED BY THE INTENSE GROUND FIRE.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 420 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,756 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 0C7 Mendota IL at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from RFD, 23 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N81KX the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.