Amateur-built KLAPP KR-2S accident near Wadsworth, Ohio, September 3, 2021
On September 3, 2021 at about 2:16 pm local time, a 2019 amateur-built KLAPP KR-2S, registered N729PK, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Wadsworth, Ohio (Wadsworth Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of airplane control for a reason that could not be determined based on available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2021 · about 2:16 pm local time
- Place
- Wadsworth, Ohio · Wadsworth Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KLAPP KR-2S, built 2019
- Registration
- N729PK · registry record · serial 1216
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning the amateur-built airplane to the airport shortly after departure. The pilot of another airplane in the area reported that he heard the accident pilot announce that he was returning to the airport due to an unspecified canopy problem. The accident airplane subsequently pitched nose down into a small lake near the airport. Postaccident examination of the recovered components found no anomalies. Portions of the canopy system were recovered, including the left hinge, but the right hinge and latching mechanism were not recovered. It is possible the left or right latching mechanism, which operated independently of each other, failed, or became disengaged; however, no determination could be made regarding the condition of the canopy at the time the pilot communicated the unspecified canopy issue. It is also possible that an open canopy could have affected the airplane’s flight performance. However, due to the unique nature of the amateur-built airplane, the flight control and performance effects of a potentially open canopy during flight could not be quantified. Based on the available evidence, the accident was the result of a loss of control for a reason that could not be determined.
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering defining event
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 167 hours in all; 7.3 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 27, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Chevrolet Corvair (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02/2, 3,530 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 am from KCAK, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCAK 031351Z 08006KT 10SM FEW250 18/11 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP213 T01780111=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on January 6, 2023. 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 | Photos | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Logbook | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Autopsy Memorandum | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Wreckage Release Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Roc with Witness | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | ADS-B Data | spreadsheet | 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.