Amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO accident near Lawrence, Kansas, January 14, 1990
On January 14, 1990 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO, registered N4GB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrence, Kansas (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED CLEARANCE FROM TREE(S) NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SUNGLARE, LACK OF VISUAL CUES TO THE PILOT, AND TREE(S).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 1990 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrence, Kansas · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STARDUSTER TOO STARDUSTER
- Registration
- N4GB · registry record · serial 100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SAID THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND HIS HOMEBUILT BIPLANE ON HIS PRIVATE STRIP, HE WAS BLINDED BY THE SETTING SUN AND FAILED TO CLEAR A TREE ON FINAL APPROACH. THE ACFT'S RIGHT WING STRUCK THE TREE, WHICH CAUSED THE ACFT TO YAW TO THE RIGHT & CRASH. THE PLT SUFFERED A DAMAGED VERTEBRA, WHICH REQUIRED SURGERY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 130 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWC Lawrence KS at 10:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from IXD, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N4GB 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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MKC90LA047.