Amateur-built TR-2 accident near Wichita, Kansas, May 8, 1994
On May 8, 1994 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built TR-2, registered N1639R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Riverside Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
was the pilot-in-command not performing an aborted landing after the first porpoise event and bounce into the air. Factors associated with this accident were an excessive airspeed and porpoising encountered 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 8, 1994 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Riverside Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TR-2
- Registration
- N1639R · no longer on the register · serial AA1B-0639
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED DURING ITS LANDING FLARE. IT TOUCHED DOWN AND BEGAN PORPOISING. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY AND TOUCHED DOWN TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES, PORPOISING BEFORE EACH LIFT OFF. AFTER LIFTING OFF A THIRD TIME THE AIRPLANE WAS POSITIONED APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES TO THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE ACCORDING TO A PILOT-RATED-PASSENGER. THE PASSENGER SAID HE HAD TOLD THE PILOT TO GO AROUND AFTER THE LAST TWO BOUNCE EVENTS. HE SAID HE APPLIED POWER WHEN HE DID NOT OBSERVE A RESPONSE FROM THE PILOT AFTER THE THIRD BOUNCE. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS '...STILL CONCENTRATING ON THE EFFECTS OF THE PORPOISING, AND WAS NOT PREPARED TO HANDLE THE SUDDEN POWER INCREASE.' THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY EDGE AND NOSED OVER AFTER ENCOUNTERING SOFT SOIL.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,994 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 1994; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MO19 Mountain Grove MO at 5:50 pm
- Destination: K32 KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,675 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from ICT, 11 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.