Amateur-built WE-1 accident near Wooster, Arkansas, March 18, 1990
On March 18, 1990 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built WE-1, registered N3938, was destroyed in an accident near Wooster, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1990 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wooster, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WE-1
- Registration
- N3938 · no longer on the register · serial HT-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A POWER LOSS OCCURRED AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL AFTER TAKEOFF, FOLLOWED BY A 'STALL WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY.' HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE 'MAXIMUM TAKEOFF CLIMB WAS AT LEAST PARTIALLY TO BLAME FOR LOSS OF CONTROL.' THE ENGINE WAS A MODIFIED VOLKSWAGON UNCERTIFIED POWERPLANT. FAA INSPECTORS REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE DEVELOPING POWER AT IMPACT. NO CAUSE FOR A LOSS OF POWER WAS DISCOVERED.
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: 2,300 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1500-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.