Amateur-built DRAGONFLY accident near Mitchell, South Dakota, July 25, 1988
On July 25, 1988 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built DRAGONFLY, registered N42JK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mitchell, South Dakota (Mitchell Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1988 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mitchell, South Dakota · Mitchell Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DRAGONFLY
- Registration
- N42JK · no longer on the register · serial 230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG THE 1ST ATTEMPT TO LAND, THE ACFT BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES, THEN THE PLT MADE A GO-AROUND. ON THE 2ND ATTEMPT, THE ACFT BOUNCED AGAIN & BEGAN TO PORPOISE. A WITNESS HEARD THE ENG RPM INCREASE TO 'WHAT SOUNDED LIKE FULL POWER.' THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE DROPPED & THE ACFT IMPACTED IN GRASS BESIDE THE RWY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 209 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 315 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1988; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen UNK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIR Pierre SD at 7:00 pm
- Destination: MHE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,705 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.