- Date
- September 5, 1988, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mankato, MN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N369DKHomebuilt Woodstock
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 25, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880905036639A
- Case key
- 13898
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
Aircraft structural failure due to overload induced by pilot in the performance of unauthorized maneuvers.
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
The homebuilt experimental glider experienced an inflight structural failure of both wings which subsequently resulted in a loss of control and impact with the terrain. Examination revealed the wings failed due to overload at wing midspan near the spoilers. Recovery from loops utilizing the spoilers as air brakes will cause an increased bending moment outboard of the spoilers and reduce wing strength in the spoiler box area. The plt had 35 hrs of flt time in the acft, and had logged performance of loops in his plt logbook. Aerobatics are prohibited in this acft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N369DK
- Reported as
- Homebuilt Woodstock
- Category
- Glider, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 369
- Airframe hours
- 35
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dennis R. Kruse
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 24, 1988 · 35 hours before
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 182 total · 35 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MKT, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.