Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG M-II accident near Lancaster, Wisconsin, May 4, 1996
On May 4, 1996 at about 7:35 pm local time, a amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG M-II, registered N16JD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, Wisconsin (Lancaster Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering in the traffic pattern, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and collison with the terrain. The pilot's use of abrupt maneuvers was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1996 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, Wisconsin · Lancaster Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG M-II BUSHBY MUS
- Registration
- N16JD · registry record · serial MII-519
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was observed to take off on runway 18 and remain in ground effect until the end of the runway, then 'it pitched up into a left chandelle maneuver.' It was then observed making 'a hard left turn to the east with the wings about 90 degrees.' A witness, who saw the airplane take off, observed it on left base to runway 18. Another witness saw the airplane 'make a steep banking turn to the south in the direction of the airport,' and noticed that the wings were wobbling. The airplane overshot the final approach path to the runway, increased its bank to 45 degrees, and then spun into the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact anomaly in the engine and other airplane systems.
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: 2,133 hours in all; 633 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,133 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 721 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1995; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 73C at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,850 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 007° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from DBQ, 21 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.
Other NTSB records under N16JD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.