Centrair PEGASUS 101B and Slingsby KESTREL 19 mid-air collision near Hinckley, Illinois, July 7, 1991
On July 7, 1991 at about 8:01 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Centrair PEGASUS 101B (N126CC) and Slingsby KESTREL 19 (N1954E), were involved in a mid-air collision near Hinckley, Illinois. 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT AND ENSURE ADEQUATE SEPARATION DURING TRAFFIC PATTERN OPERATIONS. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE NONSTANDARD UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT PROCEDURES USED BY N126CC.
THE FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT AND ENSURE ADEQUATE SEPARATION DURING TRAFFIC PATTERN OPERATIONS. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE NON-STANDARD UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT PROCEDURES USED BY N126CC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1991 · about 8:01 pm local time
- Place
- Hinckley, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Centrair PEGASUS 101B PEGASUS 10
- Registration
- N126CC · registry record · serial 101BO254
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Slingsby KESTREL 19
- Registration
- N1954E · registry record · serial 1855
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Centrair PEGASUS 101B final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER PILOT REPORTED HE RETURNED TO THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CONDUCT A STANDARD (LEFT-HAND TURNS) TRAFFIC PATTERN. HE ENTERED A RIGHT DOWNWIND AND MADE SEVERAL TRANSMISSIONS REGARDING HIS POSITION AND INTENTIONS ON A COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY. THE PILOT WAS ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APPROACH ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHEN HE SAW 'A GLIDER...OVERFLYING ME AND DESCENDING INTO MY FLIGHT PATH.' THE GLIDERS COLLIDED. THE PILOT OF THE LOWER GLIDER 'DEPLOYED SPOILERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO DESCEND AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE BELOW THE OTHER GLIDER'S FLIGHT PATH. I MAINTAINED CONTROL TO THE GROUND ALTHOUGH MY DESCENT RATE WAS VERY HIGH.' BOTH GLIDERS IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A BEAN FIELD ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE FROM 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 NTSB's narrative for the Slingsby KESTREL 19 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GLIDER PILOT RETURNED TO THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AND ENTERED A STANDARD (LEFT-HAND TURNS) TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR THE ACTIVE RUNWAY. HE STATED HE BROADCAST HIS POSITION AND INTENTIONS ON THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APPROACH FOR 5 TO 10 SECONDS BEFORE HE HEARD A 'SAWING-SCRUNCH LIKE ONE MIGHT IMAGINE OF FIBERGLASS ON FIBERGLASS.' WITNESSES REPORTED THIS GLIDER WAS OVERTAKING A SLOWER, LOWER GLIDER AS IT DESCENDED TOWARD THE RUNWAY. BOTH GLIDERS IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A BEAN FIELD ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED HE NEVER SAW THE OTHER GLIDER, AND NEITHER PILOT HEARD THE OTHER'S RADIO TRANSMISSIONS. THE PILOT OF THE LOWER GLIDER HAD ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN USING NON-STANDARD (RIGHT-HAND) TURNS.
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 for the Centrair PEGASUS 101B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,579 hours in all; 70 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,572 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 441 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1991; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,003 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Slingsby KESTREL 19 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 527 hours in all; 242 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 498 as pilot in command; 37 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,006 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1990; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,040 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
- Operator: Zulu Hotel, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.