Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS accident near Lakeville, Minnesota, March 17, 2009
On March 17, 2009 at about 11:52 pm local time, a Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS, registered N906LA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Lakeville, Minnesota (Airlake Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The instructor pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, and the student pilot’s unintentional interference with the instructor’s rudder pedal during the go-around. Contributing to the accident was the cockpit design which allowed inadvertent rudder pedal activation from the opposite seat position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 2009 · about 11:52 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeville, Minnesota · Airlake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS · all SPORTSTAR PLUSs on the register
- Registration
- N906LA · no longer on the register · serial 2007 0906
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A certified flight instructor (CFI) and his student were practicing maneuvers to simulate slow flight and aircraft control before landing. The intent of the maneuver was to fly the airplane down the length of the runway with the wheels about 2 feet above the runway surface. The student was to control airspeed with pitch, heading with rudder, drift with aileron control, and altitude with power. The CFI stated that the accident occurred on the second attempt of this maneuver and that the first attempt ended because the student was too fast and had too much engine power. The CFI stated that the second pass "started well" but the airplane began to sink around mid-field. He instructed the student to relinquish control and attempted a go-around. The airplane started pitching up and turning to the left, and subsequently impacted the ground. The CFI stated that he believed the student was pushing on the CFI's left rudder pedal during the mishap. He stated that on other occasions students have had their right foot slip off the pilot rudder pedal and on to the co-pilot's left rudder pedal. The student gave a similar account of the accident, but stated that after he relinquished control his feet were "tucked back under [him]." The manufacturer has designed a retrofit barrier that, when installed, would prevent a pilot from being able to depress the rudder pedal in the neighboring pilot position.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Flight compartment equipment › Design
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,011 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 943 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 24, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LVN Lakeville MN at 11:07 pm
- Destination: LVN Lakeville MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,098 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from LVN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09LA238.