Amateur-built NIEUPORT 28 accident near Boonville, Missouri, June 1, 2017
On June 1, 2017, a 2016 amateur-built NIEUPORT 28, registered N6165, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Boonville, Missouri (Jesse Viertel Memorial airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to a compromised induction system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2017
- Place
- Boonville, Missouri · Jesse Viertel Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built NIEUPORT 28 NO SERIES, built 2016
- Registration
- N6165 · registry record · serial 061112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was attempting to take off on the experimental, amateur-built airplane's first flight. When the airplane was about 30-50 ft in the air, the engine experienced a partial loss of power and the pilot landed on the remaining runway. The airplane landed hard, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the engine revealed several air leaks in the induction system, including the vacuum takeoff port cap on the carburetor and the rudder seal on the left induction manifold adapter. It is likely that the compromised induction system resulted in the partial loss of engine power.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Perception › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 2130 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VER Boonville MO
- Destination: VER Boonville MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 10, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - FAA, Johnson | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.