Amateur-built 001 accident near Superior, Wisconsin, April 19, 1991
On April 19, 1991 at about 3:08 am local time, a amateur-built 001, registered N87VE, was destroyed in an accident near Superior, Wisconsin (Superior 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
THE PILOT'S POOR PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1991 · about 3:08 am local time
- Place
- Superior, Wisconsin · Superior · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 001
- Registration
- N87VE · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. INVESTIGATORS FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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: 800 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 009° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 am from DLH, 12 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.