Amateur-built AVID FLYER C accident near Lansing Arpt, Illinois, December 1, 1989
On December 1, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AVID FLYER C, registered N533T, was destroyed in an accident near Lansing Arpt, Illinois (Lansing Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE BUILDER'S IMPROPER MODIFICATION OF THE CARBURETORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing Arpt, Illinois · Lansing Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVID FLYER C AVID FLYER
- Registration
- N533T · registry record · serial 401
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE ON ITS INITIAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCED ENGINE STOPPAGE DURING DEPARTURE FROM THE FIELD. THE PRIVATE PILOT STATES HE RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND RETURNED TO HOME FIELD. HE COMMENCED AN APPROACH WITH ANOTHER AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF. HE WAS MAKING A TURN FOR DISPLACEMENT WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. THE OTHER AIRPLANE ROLLED AND THE ACCIDENT PILOT RESUMED HIS APPROACH. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE LANDED IN A LEFT BANK, ANGLED OFF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A DITCH. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE SHOWED THE TWIN CARBURETORS MODIFIED TO A CONFIGURATION AND JETTING NOT APPROVED BY THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER AND FOR WHICH NO TEST OR ENGINEERING DATA WAS AVAILABLE.
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
- Flight time: 853 hours in all; 113 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 853 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 20, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 911 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 3HA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,655 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from MDW, 17 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.
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.