Amateur-built DR-1 accident near Thomaston, Georgia, March 24, 1985
On March 24, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DR-1, registered N1387B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thomaston, Georgia (Thomaston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 24, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Thomaston, Georgia · Thomaston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DR-1
- Registration
- N1387B · no longer on the register · serial 16
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT MADE AN EMERGENCY LDG IN A FLD AFTER TOTAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT WAS ON A FLT FROM LAKELAND, FL. TO GRIFFIN, GA. WITH A PLANNED REFUELING STOP AT AMERICUS, GA. ACCORDING TO THE PLT HE WAS UNABLE TO LAND AT AMERICUS DUE TO GUSTING WIND. HE CONTINUED TOWARD GRIFFIN, GA. & RAN OUT OF FUEL ABOUT 20 MI SOUTH OF GRIFFIN, GA. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN AMERICUS, GA. & GRIFFIN, GA. IS ABOUT 80 MI. THERE WERE SEVERAL AIRPORTS ALONG THE ACFT'S ROUTE OF FLT & THE PLT ELECTED NOT TO LAND AT THEM.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 900 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VLD Valdosta GA
- Destination: ACJ Americus GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:30 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.
Other NTSB records under N1387B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.