Just HIGHLANDER N442DU

Summary

On 11 September 2025 at about 20:33 local time, a Just HIGHLANDER registered N442DU was involved in an accident near Forest Lake, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 September 2025 at 20:33

Classification

Accident

Location

Forest Lake, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Forest Lake Airport (25D)

Coordinates

45.2496, -92.9950

Aircraft

Just HIGHLANDER

Registration

N442DU

Category

Airplane

Year built

2025

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Forest Lake → Forest Lake

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN25LA375

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during a gusty crosswind landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a flight test of the experimental amateur-built airplane. He was returning to make a full stop landing when during the landing flare a wind gust from the right caused the airplane to drift left and depart off the left runway edge. The airplane then descended an embankment and nosed over. The upper portion of the rudder and a right-wing lift strut sustained substantial damage. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Based on the reported wind direction and speed at an airport located about 13 nautical miles from the accident site, there was likely a gusting left crosswind component of about 4 to 6 knots at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.