Amateur-built SA-100 accident near Point Pleasant, West Virginia, September 22, 1985
On September 22, 1985 at about 10:15 pm local time, a amateur-built SA-100, registered N21GT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Point Pleasant, West Virginia (Mason County 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
- September 22, 1985 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Point Pleasant, West Virginia · Mason County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SA-100
- Registration
- N21GT · registry record · serial GTG-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT SHE MADE A NORMAL PREFLT. SHE REPORTED THAT THE FLOAT TYPE FUEL GAGE INDICATED THAT THE MAIN FUEL TANK, WHICH HAD A CAPACITY OF 12 GAL, WAS HALF FULL. WHILE CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 500 FT AGL AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG SPUTTERED & LOST POWER. THE PLT PUMPED THE THROTTLE & THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING AGAIN FOR ABOUT 1 OR 2 SECS, THEN IT QUIT AGAIN. THE PLT TURNED AWAY FROM HOUSES & TRIED TO GLIDE TO A CORN FIELD. HOWEVER, SHE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE FIELD & LANDED THE ACFT IN TREES. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS REMAINING IN THE MAIN FUEL TANK & THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THAT POSITION. THE LEFT AUX FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, BUT THE RIGHT AUX TANK WAS NEARLY FULL. DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE MAIN FUEL TANK, THE FUEL LEVEL IN IT COULD NOT BE VISUALLY SEEN. ALSO, DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE BOBBER/FLOAT ON THE MAIN FUEL INDICATOR, THE ROD COULD STICK TO THE SIDES OF THE FILLER NECK. A WITNESS VERIFIED THAT THE FLOAT INDICATOR GAGE INDICATED HALF FULL DURING THE PREFLT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 175 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 94 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 348 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1985; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3I2 at 10:05 pm
- Destination: 3I2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:10 pm
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.