Amateur-built DRAGONFLY accident near Fowlerville, Michigan, July 2, 1988
On July 2, 1988 at about 12:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DRAGONFLY, registered N192AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fowlerville, Michigan (Maple Grove airport). 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 FAILED TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CONTROL OF HIS HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT BY TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTIONS FOR RECOVERY FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND ABRUPTLY ON THE THIRD BOUNCE AND THE UPPER WING SPAR FAILED. THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN UNDERDESIGNED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1988 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fowlerville, Michigan · Maple Grove · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DRAGONFLY
- Registration
- N192AP · no longer on the register · serial 192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD 3 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED A POWER-OFF LANDING AND THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED. ON THE THIRD BOUNCE 'THE (RIGHT WING) SPAR POPPED.' THE PILOT STATED THAT 'THIS IS A LEARNING CURVE ACCIDENT' AND INDICATED THAT MORE TIME PRACTICING SLOW FLIGHT AND LANDINGS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE HELPED PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING DUE TO A HARD LANDING DURING IT'S MAIDEN FLIGHT IN APRIL, 1986. THE FLIGHT DURING WHICH THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED WAS THE AIRCRAFT'S FIRST FLIGHT SINCE THAT ACCIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 476 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 404 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hapi 60-2DM (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,040 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N192AP 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.