Amateur-built NIEUPORT 11 accident near Gardner, Kansas, June 21, 1998
On June 21, 1998, a amateur-built NIEUPORT 11, registered N921DH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gardner, Kansas (Gardner 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and the aircraft stall. A factor to the accident was the gusting wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1998
- Place
- Gardner, Kansas · Gardner Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built NIEUPORT 11 NIEUPORT 1
- Registration
- N921DH · registry record · serial 00736
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was going to fly one more flight around the traffic pattern for some individuals to take photographs of his aircraft. The pilot stated that there was a dark storm cell approximately 3 statute miles north of the airport moving to the east. The pilot stated that after the aircraft rotated the normal climb speed of 55 mph seemed to diminish rapidly at 8 to 10 feet agl. The pilot stated that his back stick pressure produced a stall, followed by an uncontrollable sink that resulted in the aircraft impacting on the right side of the runway 17. Witnesses to the accident stated that the wind sock was limp at the start of the takeoff roll, but indicated strong gusting winds as the pilot rotated. Post accident investigation showed that there was thunderstorm activity in the area at the time the accident. There were reports of high, gusting, winds in the area at the time of the accident. Subsequent to the accident, the pilot stated in a interview with a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector that he had made a poor decision by taking off with the approaching thunderstorm in the area.
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: 508 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 1997; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 770 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1600 CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K34
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,240 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:16 am from IXD, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI98LA211.