Amateur-built Mustang II accident near Ainsworth, Nebraska, July 23, 2006
On July 23, 2006 at about 7:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Mustang II, registered N96AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ainsworth, Nebraska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The delay in initiating the aborted landing which resulted in inadequate altitude to clear high vegetation off the end of the runway. Factors associated with the accident were the gusty crosswind, inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and the high vegetation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2006 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ainsworth, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Mustang II
- Registration
- N96AP · registry record · serial M-II-1244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted the terrain during an aborted landing. The pilot reported there was an 11 knot crosswind with gusts to 15 knots while he was landing on runway 17. He reported he used one notch of flaps and was lined with the runway on final approach. The pilot reported the airplane was a little fast and he let it float until it touched down for a smooth landing. He reported that a second later the right wing lifted and the airplane turned to the left. The wing came back down and he attempted to straighten out the heading, but was unable to so he decided to add power to go around. The pilot reported the landing gear contacted two to three foot tall weeds off the end of the runway which resulted in landing gear damage with the right landing gear being pushed up through the top of the right wing. Winds reported at the accident airport about 40 minutes prior to the accident were from 210 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
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: 711 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENV Wendover UT at 4:00 pm
- Destination: ANW Ainsworth NE
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from ANW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI06CA199.