Amateur-built DRAGONFLY II accident near Caro, Michigan, July 26, 1998
On July 26, 1998 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DRAGONFLY II, registered N14U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Caro, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an improper inflight decision when he mistook the road for the runway of the nearby airport to land on. A factor in this accident was the total failure of the engine's crankshaft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1998 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Caro, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DRAGONFLY II DRAGONFLY
- Registration
- N14U · registry record · serial 446
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a home built airplane said his engine began running rough during cruise flight. The pilot said he reduced power and diverted to a nearby airport to make a precautionary landing. The pilot said he mistook a road for the airport runway. During the approach to the road the pilot said he had to add power to clear electrical power lines. He said the engine ran rougher when he applied the power. Shortly after applying the power, the propeller and front section of the crankshaft departed the engine. The airplane landed on a road and ran off the end into a corn field. The fracture surface of the crankshaft was a dull gray color with a rough surface texture. The edge of the fracture surface had shear lips.
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: 308 hours in all; 165 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 308 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 165 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1998; 5 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen TYPE I (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ACB Bellaire MI at 2:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from MBS, 28 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.