Nelson Special accident near Hope, Arkansas, May 29, 2025
On May 29, 2025 at about 3:50 pm local time, a 2021 Nelson Special, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N873YD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Hope, Arkansas (Hope Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2025 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Hope, Arkansas · Hope Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Nelson Special, built 2021, amateur-built
- Registration
- N873YD · registry record · serial 1931
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, he applied the brakes, and the airplane subsequently nosed down; the propeller then struck the runway surface. The airplane came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that the wind was gusty at the time of the landing. He reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 3, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: unk
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 2, 2025; 6 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16/3, 5,501 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KTXK, 23 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTXK 291553Z 21008KT 10SM BKN017 27/21 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP171 T02670206=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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.