Amateur-built Nieuport 11 accident near Independence, Oregon, February 13, 2003
On February 13, 2003 at about 6:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Nieuport 11, registered N110DK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Independence, Oregon (Independence State 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
Aircraft control not maintained during takeoff. Factors include soft/muddy terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2003 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Independence, Oregon · Independence State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Nieuport 11
- Registration
- N110DK · registry record · serial 006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that the airplane (powered by a 60 horsepower Volkswagen engine) yawed to the right immediately after liftoff. The pilot aborted the takeoff and the airplane settled back onto the ground, well right of the runway. After touching down, the airplane encountered soft/muddy terrain and nosed over. The pilot indicated that his last flight review, conducted in a Cessna 175, was completed on May 15, 1992.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 15, 1992
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 0.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 2003; 0.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 830 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1835 cc (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7S5 Independence OR at 6:15 pm
- Destination: 7S5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KSLE, 8 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.
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 SEA03LA039.