Maple Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Maple Lake, Minnesota 55358
Thursday, May 21, 1998 18:17 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses reported the engine sounded normal during the takeoff roll and that the airplane rotated normally. Witnesses reported the airplane climbed to about 100 to 200 feet when the engine revved up 'really high' to what sounded like 1,000 RPM's higher than normal takeoff power. A witness reported the airplane went into a 60 degree left bank, and then the airplane turned right into an 80 degrees nose dive. The airplane went straight down and did not spin. The stall speed of the airplane was 50 mph. The airspeed indicator was found with the needle stuck at approximately 41 mph. The engine and flight controls exhibited continuity and no pre-impact anomalies were revealed. The engine was modified for airplane use by utilizing a propeller belt reduction drive to reduce the engine RPM's to approximately 2,500 propeller RPM's. The two 30 mm wide reduction drive belts were not found at the impact site. Searches for the drive belts were made of the surrounding area on two separate occasions but without success.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot inadvertently stalled the airplane. A factor was the failed reduction drive belts.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1817
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MAPLE LAKE
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55358
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport MAPLE LAKE AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Y33
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1028
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID STC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1648
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1399
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 22 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N68474
NTSB Number CHI98LA170
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name KREATZ
Aircraft Model GENESIS
Aircraft Series Identifier GENESIS
Aircraft Serial Number 037
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 19
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE A. KREATZ
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16010 14TH AVE. N.
Aircraft Owner City PLYMOUTH
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55447
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code Y33
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1816
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --