Accident: Pzl-Bielsko SZD 55-1
Aug 6, 2016 · Channahon, IL
NTSB numberCEN16FA308Event id20160807X20843
- 1
- Fatalities
- 0
- Serious injuries
- 0
- Minor injuries
- 0
- Uninjured
Probable cause
The glider pilot's failure to maintain adequate pitch control while being towed and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed control after releasing from the towline, which resulted in the glider exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall/spin at a low altitude.
Source: National Transportation Safety Board. Record last changed Oct 28, 2026, 10:54 UTC.
Aircraft involved
- Aircraft
- Pzl-Bielsko SZD 55-1
- Registration
- N551DR
- Year built
- 1992
- Category
- Glider
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rules
- Part 91: general aviation
- Defining event
- Initial climb Loss of control in flight
Source: National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database. Counts only; Voydar holds no names.
Nearest airports
Airports with a Voydar profile closest to the recorded position. Proximity only.
- Joliet Regional Airport (JOT)6 nm (11 km) north-east
- Lewis University Airport (LOT)13 nm (23 km) north-east
This page restates the NTSB's public record. Injury figures are counts; Voydar does not hold or publish the names of anyone involved.