Amateur-built Glasair SH2F accident near Green Bay, Wisconsin, May 16, 2001
On May 16, 2001 at about 4:05 pm local time, a amateur-built Glasair SH2F, registered N1490, was substantially damaged in an accident near Green Bay, Wisconsin (Austin Strauble 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
The pilot allowed the airspeed to get too low and inadvertently stalled the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2001 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Green Bay, Wisconsin · Austin Strauble Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Glasair SH2F
- Registration
- N1490 · registry record · serial 610
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental Glasair was destroyed when it impacted the ground during a 360 degree turn for spacing on short final for landing. While on the right downwind, the Glasair pilot was informed by ATC that he was number two for landing behind a Cessna 172 that was on a left downwind for landing on runway 24. The Glasair was on a right base when the pilot reported that he had the Cessna on short final in sight. The ATC controller reported that while the Glasair was on final, the Cessna was still on the runway. The ATC controller instructed the Glasair to "execute a go-around and make a left traffic." The Glasair pilot responded, "Okay you want me to just do a quick left here and come back in?" The controller stated, "Affirmative." Ten seconds later an ELT transmission could be heard. The controller reported, "[The Glasair] executed a climbing left turn and I observed the aircraft's entire underside (wings and belly), he then continued to roll further to his left and then started an abrupt decent toward the ground. I observed [the Glasair] impact the ground and immediately notified crash personnel." Another witness reported seeing the airplane flying toward the airport. He reported, "The airplane was approaching the runway and it wobbled a little bit. The plane then banked hard to its left as if the wind was caught under the right wing. The plane then went straight up, looped to the left, then came straight down and hit the ground nose first." The inspection of the airplane revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 912 hours in all
- Last flight review: November 15, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 721 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 14, 2000; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRB Green Bay WI at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 7,699 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from GRB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1490 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.