Amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO accident near Mc Henry, Illinois, May 22, 1989
On May 22, 1989 at about 10:15 pm local time, a amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO, registered N32GR, was destroyed in an accident near Mc Henry, Illinois (Greenwood/Wonder Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLYING PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING AN OSTENTATIOUS DISPLAY RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1989 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mc Henry, Illinois · Greenwood/Wonder Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO STARDUSTER
- Registration
- N32GR · registry record · serial GR-1947
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE STRUCK TERRAIN WHILE IN AN OUT OF CONTROL DESCENT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. WITNESSES REPORTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB AND THEN THE AIRPLANE ROTATED TO A NEAR VERTICAL CLIMB FOLLOWED BY A 'HAMMERHEAD MANEUVER' TO THE LEFT. IT THEN DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 1989
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 10C Mchenry IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,100 ft by 36 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from IKK, 45 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.