Amateur-built SKYBOLT accident near Joliet, Illinois, June 5, 1993
On June 5, 1993 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SKYBOLT, registered N94MS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Joliet, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the number two connecting rod bolt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1993 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Joliet, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKYBOLT
- Registration
- N94MS · registry record · serial MS1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SOON AFTER REACHING CRUISING ALTITUDE, THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARDS HIS DEPARTURE AIRPORT TO ATTEMPT AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AFTER REALIZING THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON AN OPEN, SOFT FIELD. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #2 CONNECTING ROD AND ROD BOLT HAD FRACTURED.
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: 377 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 288 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 73 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1993; 31 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI93DEE01.