Amateur-built STARDUSTER ESA300 accident near Kansas City, Missouri, April 1, 1985
On April 1, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built STARDUSTER ESA300, registered N11HE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kansas City, Missouri (Kansas City Downtown 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 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
- April 1, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kansas City, Missouri · Kansas City Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STARDUSTER ESA300 STARDUSTER
- Registration
- N11HE · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL HE NOTICED AN ACFT LANDING BEHIND HIS AND THEREFORE VEERED HIS ACFT TO THE RIGHT OF RWY 36 TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH. DURING THE MANEUVER THE PLT FELT THE RIGHT GEAR GIVE AND THE ACFT CONSEQUENTLY GROUND LOOPED TWICE TO THE RIGHT RESULTING IN THE COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT WING AND GEAR. THE RIGHT STRUT ATTACHMENT BOLT WAS FOUND ON RWY 36 AND SHOWED SIGNS OF SEPARATION DUE TO TENSION LOADS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 2,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1984; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-435-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSM Des Moines IA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: MKC Kansas City MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:46 pm from MKC
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.