Amateur-built VOLKSPLANE WE-1 accident near Kingman, Kansas, August 8, 1990
On August 8, 1990 at about 1:45 am local time, a amateur-built VOLKSPLANE WE-1, registered N4509, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kingman, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1990 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Kingman, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VOLKSPLANE WE-1 VOLKSPLANE
- Registration
- N4509 · registry record · serial 93029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT TURNED ONTO A RIGHT DOWNWIND, AND WAS OBSERVED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, THEN DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW. THE ACFT SUBSEQENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,743 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,951 as pilot in command; 866 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 513 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 747 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 am from ICT, 40 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.
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.