Amateur-built E75 accident near Sparta, Illinois, August 28, 1999
On August 28, 1999 at about 8:10 pm local time, a amateur-built E75, registered N4752V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sparta, Illinois (Sparta Community 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
The pilot's decision not to use all of the available. A factor to the accident was the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1999 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Sparta, Illinois · Sparta Community Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built E75 E-75
- Registration
- N4752V · registry record · serial 75-5507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taking-off from a clear-way between a runway and taxiway and when at approximately 50-75 feet above ground level (agl) he noted that the airplane was not accelerating and, '... a very small descent rate was felt.' The pilot stated that he elected to land and the airplane touched down approximately abeam the taxiway entrance at the north end of the airport. The pilot reported that he was going to overrun the end of the runway and that there was a ditch off the end of the runway so he, '...tried to lift the airplane over the ditch.' After the second touchdown, the aircraft began to track to the left and the left wingtip contacted the terrain. The pilot did not report any engine anomalies occurring prior to and during the accident sequence. The pilot stated that using, '...full length of the takeoff runway [clearway] and maintain runway centerline throughout the departure' could have prevented the accident.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1999; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental R670 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAR at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from BLV, 25 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.