Amateur-built KR-2 accident near Blackstone, Virginia, November 6, 1996
On November 6, 1996 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built KR-2, registered N85JV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blackstone, Virginia (Blackstone airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a loss of control (stall) and collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 1996 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Blackstone, Virginia · Blackstone · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-2
- Registration
- N85JV · no longer on the register · serial 408701401
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses stated that they saw the airplane takeoff from runway 22, in a shallow climb, and the engine sputtered and quit. The airplane rocked side to side, then started turning right, then rolled left until it was inverted. The airplane struck the ground inverted about 150 feet off the right side of the runway. There was about 1500 feet of runway remaining when the engine stopped and the airplane turned right. No reason was found for the loss of engine lost power.
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: 440 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKT at 10:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,632 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from FVX
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.