Hartzler NIEUPORT 11 N921DH

Summary

On 21 June 1998 at about 00:30 local time, a Hartzler NIEUPORT 11 registered N921DH was involved in an accident near Gardner, Kansas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 June 1998 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Gardner, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Gardner Municipal Airport (K34)

Coordinates

38.8096, -94.9205

Aircraft

Hartzler NIEUPORT 11

Registration

N921DH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI98LA211

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and the aircraft stall. A factor to the accident was the gusting wind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was going to fly one more flight around the traffic pattern for some individuals to take photographs of his aircraft. The pilot stated that there was a dark storm cell approximately 3 statute miles north of the airport moving to the east. The pilot stated that after the aircraft rotated the normal climb speed of 55 mph seemed to diminish rapidly at 8 to 10 feet agl. The pilot stated that his back stick pressure produced a stall, followed by an uncontrollable sink that resulted in the aircraft impacting on the right side of the runway 17. Witnesses to the accident stated that the wind sock was limp at the start of the takeoff roll, but indicated strong gusting winds as the pilot rotated. Post accident investigation showed that there was thunderstorm activity in the area at the time the accident. There were reports of high, gusting, winds in the area at the time of the accident. Subsequent to the accident, the pilot stated in a interview with a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector that he had made a poor decision by taking off with the approaching thunderstorm in the area.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.