Amateur-built PIETENPOL accident near De Kalb, Illinois, November 22, 2017
On November 22, 2017 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2001 amateur-built PIETENPOL, registered N502R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near De Kalb, Illinois (De Kalb Taylor Muni airport). It was a positioning flight 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
The pilot’s excessive rudder and brake applications during landing, which caused the airplane to nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2017 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- De Kalb, Illinois · De Kalb Taylor Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PIETENPOL, built 2001
- Registration
- N502R · no longer on the register · serial 2435
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was hired to fly the airplane for a positioning flight, which required multiple fuel stops. The pilot had not previously flown this airplane make and model. Before takeoff, he taxied the airplane to become familiar with the flight controls and brakes. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll at the first en route airport, the airplane veered to the left, so he had to unexpectedly apply the brakes, which resulted in a nose-over. A postaccident examination of the tire marks on the runway revealed that, during the landing roll, the airplane veered to the left and then back to the right before the airplane nosed over on the runway. A functional test of the brakes did not reveal any anomalies. Thus, the accident circumstances were consistent with excessive rudder application during the landing roll followed by excessive brake application, which resulted in the nose-over.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,517 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 4,418 as pilot in command; 2,672 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 10, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 134 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2017
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors A 65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HXF Hartford WI at 2:45 pm
- Destination: DKB De Kalb IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 7,026 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KDKB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on April 17, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Photos | 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.