Amateur-built Mustang II accident near Elkhart, Indiana, August 14, 2004
On August 14, 2004 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Mustang II, registered N44DX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elkhart, Indiana. It was a personal 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 not maintaining directional control during landing roll. A factor was the soft terrain, and the inadequate training in type aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2004 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Elkhart, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Mustang II
- Registration
- N44DX · no longer on the register · serial 431
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental amateur-built tailwheel airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain when it exited the runway and nosed over in the grass adjacent to the runway. The pilot's accident report stated, "I was able to maintain the center line until the tailwheel touched down. I had trouble keeping the plane under control. The plane veered toward the right of runway, went into the grass, hit a soft spot and went onto its nose." The pilot listed no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the airplane on that flight. The pilot's safety recommendation stated, "More training in type of plane. I have had several hours training in tailwheel but in slower planes."
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 569 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 502 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 5, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKM Elkhart IN at 6:15 pm
- Destination: EKM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from EKM
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 N44DX 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.