Amateur-built ASCENDER II+2 accident near Lake Village, Indiana, January 24, 1990
On January 24, 1990 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built ASCENDER II+2, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Village, Indiana (Lake Village airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IN-FLIGHT STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE RIGHT WING SPAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1990 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Village, Indiana · Lake Village · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ASCENDER II+2 ASCENDER I
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT CRASHED WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE RIGHT WING TO FOLD IN FLIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLE END OVER END TO THE GROUND. INVESTIGATION REVEALED COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT WING SPAR.
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: 172 hours in all; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 172 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna LURR 430 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C98 Lake Village IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,480 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from GYY, 27 miles away
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 UNREG 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.