Amateur-built STARDUSTER II accident near Winslow, Arizona, July 24, 1999
On July 24, 1999 at about 4:15 pm local time, a amateur-built STARDUSTER II, registered N102E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winslow, Arizona (Winslow-Lindberg Regional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to attain and maintain a sufficient flying airspeed for the existing density altitude conditions, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1999 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Winslow, Arizona · Winslow-Lindberg Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STARDUSTER II STARDUSTER
- Registration
- N102E · no longer on the register · serial 100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In the takeoff initial climb the pilot noticed that the controls were becoming sluggish, and the aircraft was no longer climbing and had entered a descent. He verified that he had applied full throttle. As the aircraft continued to descend, the pilot attempted to avoid the obstacles in his flight path. He began a shallow turn but because of his continued descent, he was unable to clear the utility lines ahead. He chose instead to sacrifice altitude and continue in the turn. As he approached a road that ran parallel to the utility lines, the aircraft's wing struck a tree. After the impact the aircraft became uncontrollable, descending through the remaining altitude until it collided with terrain next to the roadway. The density altitude was computed to be 7,407 feet. The pilot said that there were no mechanical malfunctions with either the engine or airframe.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 120 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 138 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 98 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 17, 1999; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,985 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: INW at 4:14 pm
- Destination: 0E0 Moriarity NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 7,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from INW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.