- Date
- July 15, 2004, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Elmo, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N299DSSelby Dean KR-2-SS
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040715018469A
- Case key
- 59884
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his failure to maintain aircraft control. A related factor was the crosswind.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
An experimental amateur-built airplane, owned and piloted by a private pilot, impacted terrain about 100 yards from the approach end of the landing runway. The pilot reported a wind gust had nearly inverted the airplane causing the left wing tip to hit the ground. Recorded wind observations 9 nautical miles southwest of the airport recorded winds of 7 knots at the time of the accident and no gusts on the day of the accident.
Factual narrative
On July 15, 2004, at 1330 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Selby Dean KR-2-SS, N299DS, owned and piloted by a private pilot, received substantial damage on impact with terrain during final approach to runway 32 (2,850 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at Lake Elmo Airport (21D), Lake Elmo, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The local flight originated from 21D at 1200.
The pilot stated that he made two full stop landings at the airport prior to the accident approach. He noticed the winds buffeting slightly. At 50 feet above ground level, the right wing was hit with a severe updraft gust, almost inverting the airplane. He applied full power, and the left wing tip struck the ground.
The wreckage was located about 100 yards from the approach end of runway 32.
The St. Paul, Minnesota, Automated Surface Observing System, located 9 nautical miles southwest of 21D, recorded at 1253 - wind 270 degrees at 7 knots and at 1353 - wind 240 degrees at 7 knots. There were no wind gusts recorded on the day of the accident
Aircraft
- Registration
- N299DS
- Reported as
- Selby Dean KR-2-SS
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 884
- Engine
- Volkswagen 915 Type 1, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joel E. Stephens
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 21D · Lake Elmo, MN
- Destination
- 21D · Lake Elmo, MN
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 231 total · 23 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.