Amateur-built KR-1 accident near Blytheville, Arkansas, April 18, 1990
On April 18, 1990 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built KR-1, registered N31123, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blytheville, Arkansas (Blytheville 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
IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING A HIGH SPEED TAXI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 1990 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blytheville, Arkansas · Blytheville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KR-1
- Registration
- N31123 · no longer on the register · serial 2352
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MAKING A FULL POWER GROUND RUN IN HIS NEWLY ACQUIRED TAIL WHEEL CONFIGURED HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, WITH THE STICK IN THE FULL AFT POSITION, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN IMMEDIATE ABRUPT CLIMB TO ABOUT 50 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE THEN STALLED AND DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED TO THE TERRAIN. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT IN THE AIRPLANE AND GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS EXISTED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS CONCENTRATING ON DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WITH THE RUDDER, AND WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE STICK WAS FULL AFT.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,610 hours in all; 48 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 463 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Volkswagen 18C-1835CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:50 pm from JBR, 35 miles away
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.