Pphu Ekolot KR-030 TOPAZ accident near Dekalb, Illinois, May 5, 2018
On May 5, 2018 at about 4:21 pm local time, a 2017 Pphu Ekolot KR-030 TOPAZ, registered N468KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Dekalb, Illinois (De Kalb Taylor 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare during gusting wind conditions, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2018 · about 4:21 pm local time
- Place
- Dekalb, Illinois · De Kalb Taylor Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pphu Ekolot KR-030 TOPAZ NO SERIES, built 2017 · all KR-030 TOPAZs on the register
- Registration
- N468KM · no longer on the register · serial 30-08-03
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during a flight review, while landing in gusting wind conditions, the airplane ballooned and landed hard on the left main landing gear. The airplane veered sharply to the left, and the pilot applied full power to go around, but the airplane "would not climb." The flight instructor took the flight controls and the airplane came to rest about 400 yards south of the runway. The flight instructor reported that, during the landing, the airplane ballooned and "abruptly dropped" onto the runway, damaging the left landing gear. The airplane veered to the left, the pilot applied power to go around, and the airplane bounced into the air. He added that the airplane would not climb and continued to bounce multiple times before coming to rest south of the runway. He believed the propeller and landing gear damage may have prevented the airplane from climbing during the go around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 6 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 250° at 11 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The airplane landed on runway 27.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,041.8 hours in all; 83 in this make and model; 16.7 in the last 90 days; 5.4 in the last 30 days; 2,892 as pilot in command; 643.9 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 21, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 167.1 hours in all; 4.9 in this make and model; 4.9 in the last 90 days; 3.9 in the last 30 days; 126 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 12, 2016
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 65 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 23, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,235 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912IS2 (piston); 65 hours total
- Operator: North Illinois Union Group Aircraft Divi
The flight
- Departed from: DKB Dekalb IL at 3:15 pm
- Destination: DKB Dekalb IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,201 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KDKB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 GAA18CA255.