Amateur-built KR-2 accident near Wytheville, Virginia, October 6, 2011
On October 6, 2011 at about 5:10 pm local time, a amateur-built KR-2, registered N7026G, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Wytheville, Virginia (Mountain Empire Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2011 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Wytheville, Virginia · Mountain Empire Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-2
- Registration
- N7026G · no longer on the register · serial 6998
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who had accrued 105 hours of flight time, had recently purchased the airplane but had no time in that type airplane. He had been advised by other pilots that he was not ready to fly such an airplane because of the airplane's performance. On the day of the accident, the pilot conducted numerous high-speed taxis and would momentarily lift the airplane off the runway and then land again in an effort to become familiar with the airplane. That afternoon, the pilot again performed a number of high-speed taxis and then took off. The airplane climbed to traffic pattern altitude and made a slow left turn and joined the crosswind leg of the pattern. About 5 seconds after completing the turn, the airplane, which had a right-turning tendency at high angles of attack and high power settings due to its counterclockwise-rotating propeller, rolled to the right, pitched nose down, and entered a spin, completing four rotations before impacting in a field. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact malfunctions or failures of the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 105 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 67 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 20, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hapi 60 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MKJ Wytheville VA at 5:10 pm
- Destination: MKJ Wytheville VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 5,252 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from MKJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.