Amateur-built MUSTANG II accident near Des Moines, Iowa, February 25, 1984
On February 25, 1984 at about 4:15 pm local time, a amateur-built MUSTANG II, registered N53BL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Des Moines, Iowa (Morningstar airport). 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1984 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · Morningstar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MUSTANG II
- Registration
- N53BL · registry record · serial 589
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THE FLT WAS FOR THE PLT TO EXPERIENCE A TAKEOFF AT MAX GROSS WT. HE PUT A 150 LB BAG OF CEMENT IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT TO SIMULATE THE WT OF A PASSENGER, THEN INITIATED A TAKEOFF FROM A SOD RWY THAT WAS SOFT AFTER A RECENT THAW, USING 15 DEG OF FLAPS. THE PLT SAID THAT HE LIFTED OFF PREMATURELY & THE ACFT SETTLED BACK TO THE RWY & WAS SLOWED BY THE SOFT FIELD CONDITIONS. ALSO, HE SAID HE WAITED TOO LONG TO ABORT & THE ACFT WENT OFF THE END OF THE RWY & THRU A FENCE.
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: 428 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 370 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 28, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,893 ft by 170 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N53BL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.