Amateur-built GENESIS accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota, May 21, 1998
On May 21, 1998 at about 11:17 pm local time, a amateur-built GENESIS, registered N68474, was destroyed in an accident near Maple Lake, Minnesota (Maple Lake Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane. A factor was the failed reduction drive belts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1998 · about 11:17 pm local time
- Place
- Maple Lake, Minnesota · Maple Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GENESIS
- Registration
- N68474 · no longer on the register · serial 037
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported the engine sounded normal during the takeoff roll and that the airplane rotated normally. Witnesses reported the airplane climbed to about 100 to 200 feet when the engine revved up 'really high' to what sounded like 1,000 RPM's higher than normal takeoff power. A witness reported the airplane went into a 60 degree left bank, and then the airplane turned right into an 80 degrees nose dive. The airplane went straight down and did not spin. The stall speed of the airplane was 50 mph. The airspeed indicator was found with the needle stuck at approximately 41 mph. The engine and flight controls exhibited continuity and no pre-impact anomalies were revealed. The engine was modified for airplane use by utilizing a propeller belt reduction drive to reduce the engine RPM's to approximately 2,500 propeller RPM's. The two 30 mm wide reduction drive belts were not found at the impact site. Searches for the drive belts were made of the surrounding area on two separate occasions but without success.
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: 130 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru EA-81 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y33 at 11:16 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from STC, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.