Amateur-built BEE 2 accident near Lake Mills, Iowa, May 31, 1992
On May 31, 1992 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built BEE 2, registered N5141B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Mills, Iowa (Lake Mills Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
EXCESSIVE TAXISPEED AND INADVERTENT LIFTOFF AT AN AIRSPEED BELOW STALLING SPEED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1992 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Mills, Iowa · Lake Mills Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BEE 2
- Registration
- N5141B · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OWNER HAD JUST MOVED THE AIRPLANE TO THE AIRPORT WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE ASSEMBLED THE WINGS TO THE FUSELAGE AND WAS PERFORMING FAST TAXI MANEUVERS WHEN THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, TURNED RIGHT, AND DESCENDED INTO TERRAIN.
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: 138 hours in all; 1 in the last 90 days; 138 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 7, 1988; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,425 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.