Amateur-built SEABIRD accident near Geneseo, Illinois, May 30, 1996
On May 30, 1996 at about 2:30 pm local time, a amateur-built SEABIRD, registered N92LL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Geneseo, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loos of power due to a blocked fuel line and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1996 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Geneseo, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SEABIRD
- Registration
- N92LL · registry record · serial LD101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane about 20 minutes after takeoff traveling south from the airport at about 1000 feet AGL. The nose of the airplane pitched down, and then it came back level for about 2 seconds. Then the nose pitched down again and the airplane entered a steep, left spiral. Witnesses reported hearing the engine sputter and finally quit. The airplane impacted the ground in about a 70-degree nose-down attitude. Both 5-gallon plastic fuel tanks were ruptured during impact. There was evidence of fuel on the ground at the wreckage site. The flight controls and engine exhibited continuity. The cylinders had compression and ignition. Power was supplied to the starter with the spark plugs disconnected. The engine turned over normally. The electric boost pump operated and delivered fuel to the carburetors. The engine-driven impulse fuel pump did not supply fuel to the carburetors. The one-way check valve attached to the hose of the impulse fuel pump was examined and determined that it was blocked due to corrosion. When the impulse pump was tested without the one way check valve attached, the pump worked normally. The electric boost pump switch was found in the off position.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 963 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 877 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 39 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 20, 1995; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 618 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IS37
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from MLI, 15 miles away
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CHI96FA179.