Amateur-built Habercraft N10516 accident near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota

Preliminary information

On September 27, 2026, about 1720 central daylight time, an amateur-built Habercraft airplane, N10516, was substantially damaged during an accident near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. The pilot sustained a minor injury. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that before the flight the 12-gallon fuselage fuel tank contained about 8.5 gallons of fuel and that the cork-and-wire fuel indicator gauge installed in the fuel tank cap was about 5.5 inches above an empty indication. The pilot noted that the airplane’s Continental C85 engine consumed 4.5 to 5 gallons per hour at a cruise power setting.

The pilot reported that at 1602 the local flight departed Pelican Rapids Municipal Airport (47Y), Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. The pilot flew a meandering route over the lakes in the Pelican Rapids area, then over Highway 34 west to Barnesville, Minnesota, then to the south before turning back toward 47Y.

The pilot reported that about 1 hour and 15 minutes had elapsed since departure when the airplane was on the left downwind for runway 33 at 47Y. The pilot acknowledged that the flight was 10 to 15 minutes longer than he had planned for, but the cork-and-wire fuel indicator gauge was about an inch above the empty indication. The pilot considered flying a circle-to-short final because there were no other aircraft in the traffic pattern; however, ultimately, he decided to fly a normal traffic pattern to runway 33.

The pilot reported he reduced engine throttle and the airplane entered a descent during the turn from downwind to base leg. The airplane’s altitude and airspeed were reportedly lower-than-normal after the turn to base leg. The pilot increased the engine throttle but there was no response from the engine. The pilot reported that the engine continued to operate at a near idle power setting and at no point sputtered or quit. The airplane continued to descend rapidly toward trees. The pilot does not recall the final sequence of events that led to the impact with terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage during the nose-low impact into a soybean field.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for CEN26LA327 for the full record.