Brown SONERA II L accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky, March 14, 1983
On March 14, 1983 at about 9:21 pm local time, a Brown SONERA II L, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N86BB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky (Bowling Green airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1983 · about 9:21 pm local time
- Place
- Bowling Green, Kentucky · Bowling Green · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brown SONERA II L SONERA II, amateur-built
- Registration
- N86BB · registry record · serial 900
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER ON THE BASE LEG OF THE LANDING PATTERN. THE WEATHER WAS VMC AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD WORKED ON THE CARBURETOR PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHTAND HAD ALSO MOVED THE FUEL LINE GOING TO THE GASCOLATOR. THE PILOT IMPROPERLY INSTALLED THE GASOLATOR AND IT WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT BELIEVES THIS LEAK CAUSED FUEL EXHAUSTION AND LOSS OF POWER. THE SIGHT GLASSUSED AS A FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT SHOW QUANTITY BELOW 5 GALLONS AND AS A RESULT THE PILOT COULD NOT JUDGE ANY CHANGE IN RATEOF CONSUMPTION FOR THE LAST THIRD OF HIS FUEL SUPPLY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 18, 1982; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 2020CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGC La Grange GA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from BWG, 1 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.