Amateur-built KR-2 accident near Mariposa, California, September 15, 1999
On September 15, 1999 at about 1:10 am local time, a amateur-built KR-2, registered N71KN, was destroyed in an accident near Mariposa, California (Mariposa-Yosemite airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin while performing an intentional steep right bank turning maneuver, which resulted in a stall/mush and descent into terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 1999 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Mariposa, California · Mariposa-Yosemite
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-2
- Registration
- N71KN · no longer on the register · serial 4371
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a local area flight the amateur-built airplane returned to the departure airport and entered the traffic pattern. Following a touch-and-go landing, the airplane climbed to about 200 feet agl over the departure end of the runway and made an abrupt right roll to nearly a 90-degree bank angle. It then turned to a northerly heading, and, as it turned, descended in a wings vertical attitude into terrain near the runway end. Three persons reported they had seen the pilot perform the steep right turn departure maneuver on previous occasions. One witness reported that the engine was operating smoothly during the touch-and-go and until impact; a second reported the engine was operating smoothly during the touch-and-go but did not recall the engine sound during the descent to impact; and a third witness reported that the engine 'sputtered' during the climb and descent to impact. The aircraft impacted in a steep nose down attitude. There was fuel spilling from the aircraft and the aircraft's flight controls were continuous at the accident site. No heavy aircraft were reported to have preceded the aircraft on the departure runway.
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: 322 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 416 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1999; 151 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster 2100 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,310 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.