Amateur-built CIRRUS VF-30 accident near Baraboo, Wisconsin, June 14, 1990
On June 14, 1990 at about 7:10 pm local time, a amateur-built CIRRUS VF-30, registered N888EK, was destroyed in an accident near Baraboo, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MANUFACTURER'S INADEQUATE EQUIPMENT DESIGN TO PREVENT A FUEL LEAK WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF AN UNSUITABLE FORCED LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1990 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Baraboo, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CIRRUS VF-30 CIRRUS VF-
- Registration
- N888EK · registry record · serial 008
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT WAS BEING FLOWN ON AN EXPERIMENTAL TEST FLIGHT. DURING INITIAL CLIMB A PARTIAL POWER LOSS WAS INDICATED, FOLLOWED BY AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A FORCED LANDING WAS INITIATED IN A FIELD WHERE THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK ROUGH TERRAIN AND THE FUEL TANK (WET WING) RUPTURED. SUBSEUQENTLY THE FIRE PROPAGATED TO THE LEAKING FUEL AND CONSUMED TE AIRCRAFT. FUEL INJECTOR LINES WERE OF THE VINYL PLASTIC (AUTOMOTIVE) TYPE AND HAD LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
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: 2,400 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Greth EAGLE V-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C85 Barbado WI at 7:09 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from MSN, 35 miles away
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.
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.