Amateur-built DRAGONFLY accident near New Braunfels, Texas, November 6, 1987
On November 6, 1987 at about 3:15 pm local time, a amateur-built DRAGONFLY, registered N5303H, was destroyed in an accident near New Braunfels, Texas (New Braunfels airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- November 6, 1987 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- New Braunfels, Texas · New Braunfels · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DRAGONFLY
- Registration
- N5303H · registry record · serial 086
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE EXPERIMENTAL, HOME BUILT, AIRCRAFT WAS ON ITS MAIDEN FLIHT. THE PILOT STATED HE INTENDED TO FLY THE PATTERN FOR A CHECK-OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HOPED TO GAIN ALTITUDE EARLY TO PERMIT RETURNING TO THE FIELD IN CASE OF AN ENGINE FAILURE BUT INSTEAD STALLED THE AIRCRAFT ON TAKEOFF.
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: 342 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 24, 1987; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,075 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1800 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.