Amateur-built E-RACER accident near Dubuque, Iowa, July 29, 1988
On July 29, 1988 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built E-RACER, registered N131RD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1988 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dubuque, Iowa · Dubuque · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built E-RACER
- Registration
- N131RD · registry record · serial ER-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT A FUEL STOP IN DUBUQUE, IA THE PIC PURCHASED FUEL FOR THE FINAL LEG OF HIS FLT TO OSHKOSH. AFTER A PRE-FLT CHK AND SUBSEQUENT ENG RUNUP, THE PIC TOOK THE ACTIVE RWY AND COMMENCED A TAKEOFF ROLL. THE LIFT OFF AND INITIAL CLIMB WENT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY UNTIL THE ACFT ATTAINED 200 FT ALTITUDE. THE PIC STATED THAT THE ENG QUIT SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. WITH NO CLEAR SPOT AHEAD TO MAKE THE FORCED LANDING, THE PIC TURNED 180 DEGREES IN AN ATTEMPT TO LAND BACK ON THE RWY. DURING THE DESCENT THE PIC ATTEMPTED A RESTART WHICH FAILED. UNABLE TO REACH THE RWY THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A GRASSY AREA ADJACENT TO THE RWY. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, FOLLOWED BY TOTAL GEAR COLLAPSE. THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP. SUBSEQUENT INSP OF THE ACFT REVEALED A SHORTED IGNITION SYSTEM, ORIGINATING IN A ELECTRIC TACH. IN HIS ACCIDENT RPT THE PIC STATED THAT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REDUNDANCY WAS NOW A HIGH PRIORITY.
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: 1,371 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,371 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 91 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Buick V-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dubuque IA at 9:55 pm
- Destination: Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from DBQ
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 N131RD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MKC88LA142.