Amateur-built KR-2 accident near Alanson, Michigan, June 8, 1995
On June 8, 1995 at about 9:51 pm local time, a amateur-built KR-2, registered N49TK, was destroyed in an accident near Alanson, Michigan. 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
improper planning/decision by the pilot, which resulted in fuel exhaustion due to an inadequate supply of fuel, and failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in a stall/spin and collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 1995 · about 9:51 pm local time
- Place
- Alanson, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-2
- Registration
- N49TK · no longer on the register · serial 7650
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BY SEVERAL WITNESSES DESCENDING NOSE LOW AND/OR MAKING LARGE CIRCLES WHILE DESCENDING. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND MADE NO LATERAL MARKS ON THE GROUND AFTER IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S CONTROL SYSTEM AND ENGINE FOUND NO ANOMALIES THAT WOULD PREVENT FLIGHT CONTROL AND ENGINE POWER. A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR FLOAT BOWL. NO OTHER FUEL WAS FOUND AT THE SCENE. THE PILOT HAD A HISTORY OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCT AND CORONARY BYPASS GRAFTS ABOUT FIVE YEARS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE FAA HAD ISSUED HIM A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON JANUARY 3, 1995. THE PILOT'S AUTOPSY STATED THE PILOT'S CAUSE OF DEATH WAS MULTIPLE INJURIES AND ARTERIOSCLEROSIS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.
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: airline transport pilot, 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: 25,000 hours in all; 18 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1995; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Volkswagen TYPE III (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D87 Harbor Springs MI at 8:00 pm
- Destination: Y93 Atlanta MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from PLN, 10 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.