Amateur-built SIDEWINDER accident near Lansing, Illinois, August 5, 1990
On August 5, 1990 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built SIDEWINDER, registered N81X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lansing, Illinois (Lansing Muni 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR WINDS CONDITIONS ON LANDING APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1990 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lansing, Illinois · Lansing Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SIDEWINDER
- Registration
- N81X · no longer on the register · serial 212316
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT EXECUTING VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN TO FULL STOP LANDED HARD AND DEPARTED LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY. WINDS IN VICINITY WERE 40 DEGREES LEFT OF RUNWAY HEADING AND GUSTING FROM 13 TO 22 KNOTS. PILOT STATES HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE ON FINAL AND THAT, WHILE HOLDING A NORMAL APPROACH ATTITUDE, AIRPLANE WAS 'SHOVED' INTO THE RUNWAY.
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 instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,153 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,905 as pilot in command; 1,311 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3HA Lansing IL at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,655 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from MDW, 18 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.
Other NTSB records under N81X 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.