Grumman G-21E accident near West Chicago, Illinois, June 14, 1995
On June 14, 1995, a Grumman G-21E, registered N121H, was destroyed in an accident near West Chicago, Illinois (Dupage airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT ALLOWED EXCESSIVE NOSE-UP ROTATION OF THE AIRPLANE DURING LIFT-OFF, AND FAILED TO OBTAIN AND/OR MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE, AND THE USE OF FLAPS DURING A LIGHT WEIGHT TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1995
- Place
- West Chicago, Illinois · Dupage · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-21E · all G-21Es on the register
- Registration
- N121H · registry record · serial 1211
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE GRUMMAN G-21 IN TWO YEARS. ALSO, THE PILOT HAD NOT FLOWN THE G-21 FOR TWO YEARS. BEFORE TAKING OFF, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THREE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS WOULD BE NEEDED FOR PURPOSES OF BECOMING CURRENT. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE FLEW THE AIRPLANE APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND MADE TWO FULL STOP LANDINGS. DURING THE THIRD TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCRIBED AS LIFTING OFF IN A SHORT DISTANCE AND GOING INTO A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE BELOW AN ALTITUDE OF 100 FEET. THE AIRPLANE THEN ROLLED LEFT, STRUCK THE GROUND IN A STEEP DESCENT, AND BURNED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINES WERE PROVIDING POWER UNTIL IMPACT; THE ENGINES AND PROPELLERS HAD EVIDENCE OF ROTATIONAL DAMAGE. THE FLAP ACTUATORS WERE FOUND EXTENDED TO A POSITION THAT EQUATED WITH 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS (HALF FLAPS). FOUR G-21 PILOTS WERE INTERVIEWED. ACCORDING TO THEM, FLAPS WERE NOT NORMALLY USED FOR TAKEOFF IN THIS AIRPLANE. THEY REPORTED THAT THE TURBOPROP ENGINES HAD SUBSTANTIAL POWER FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PLANE WAS NOT LOADED, AND THAT THE G-21 WOULD TEND TO BECOME AIRBORNE QUICKLY WITH FLAPS EXTENDED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS NOTED DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DPA at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,751 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.