Amateur-built KR-2 accident near Fremont, Ohio, February 24, 2008
On February 24, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built KR-2, registered N455JS, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Fremont, Ohio. 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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fremont, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-2
- Registration
- N455JS · registry record · serial 8009
- 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 airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with snow and terrain during a wheels up landing following a loss of engine power during takeoff. The pilot's accident report listed no mechanical malfunctions reference the airplane during the accident flight. The plot of the intersection of the local temperature and dewpoint on a carburetor icing chart fell in the serious icing - descent power range.
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 engine power (total) during takeoff
- Landing gear not configured during landing
- Unknown or undetermined during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Not specified
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 511 hours in all; 308 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 262 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Volkswagen Conversion (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 14G Fremont OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from TDZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N455JS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 CHI08CA088.