Amateur-built KR-2 accident near San Diego, California, July 7, 2001
On July 7, 2001 at about 8:10 pm local time, a amateur-built KR-2, registered N122MS, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Gillespie Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2001 · about 8:10 pm local time · cases in 2001
- Place
- San Diego, California · Gillespie Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-2
- Registration
- N122MS · registry record · serial MS-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was the original owner and builder of this aircraft, stated that while he was decelerating during his landing rollout, he encountered a gust of wind from the left, which caused the airplane to become airborne again with the left wing high. He added power and avoided a stall, but had drifted off the runway. The left main landing gear hit a runway light, causing the airplane to ground loop, which damaged the outboard 2 feet of the left wing. The pilot stated that he would repair the wing and fly the airplane again. He stated that the damage was easy to repair and woud take only a few days to complete. According to the pilot, he had approximately 2,000 hours of flight time, 700 of which was in the accident airplane. He had logged 50 hours in this airplane within the last 90 days. When asked how he could prevent this accident from happening in the future, he stated "Don't go flying."
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: 2,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 2, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Volkswagen 1834 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDM Montgomery CA at 7:50 pm
- Destination: SEE Gillespie CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27L, 2,737 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from KSEE
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N122MS on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Volkswagen 1834 · as the NTSB recorded it
- Gillespie Field · nearest airport
- Brown Field Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,134 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX01LA238.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.