Varga 2180 accident near Decatur, Illinois, September 1, 1991
On September 1, 1991 at about 9:37 pm local time, a Varga 2180, registered N686EE, was destroyed in an accident near Decatur, Illinois (Decatur 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION AND AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE DATA NOT UNDERSTOOD BY THE PILOT. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF OPERATION, DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION, AND THE OPERATOR'S INSUFFICIENT STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1991 · about 9:37 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Illinois · Decatur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Varga 2180
- Registration
- N686EE · registry record · serial VAC17181
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB FROM TAKEOFF WITH A SAILPLANE IN TOW. THE SAILPLANE RELEASED FROM THE TOW PLANE AND RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE DURING INITIAL CLIMB AND THE AIRPLANE SANK INTO TREES ONE MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. IN AN INTERVIEW AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT DID NOT REMEMBER DOING A WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATION BEFORE TAKEOFF. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT STALL RECOGNITION AND RECOVERY THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THAT YOU ONLY HAD TO HOLD THE NOSE UP AND THE AIRPLANE WOULD FLY ITSELF OUT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 2500 FEET. THE AIRPLANE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF.
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: 142 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 48 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,817 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Illinois Wing Civic Air Patrol
The flight
- Destination: 4K4 Hilvety IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 pm from DEC, 1 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.