Amateur-built STARDUSTER II accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, October 17, 1990
On October 17, 1990 at about 5:08 pm local time, a amateur-built STARDUSTER II, registered N19SR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee (Sky Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S INADVERTENT CLOSING OF THE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE, WHICH TOTALLY OR PARTIALLY RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 1990 · about 5:08 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STARDUSTER II STARDUSTER
- Registration
- N19SR · registry record · serial 389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL DURING THE TAKEOFF LEG. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED IN A LAKE ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION FAILED TO REVEAL THE SOURCE OF THE POWER LOSS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SOMEONE MAY HAVE PLACED THE FUEL LEVER INTO THE 'OFF' POSITION PRIOR TO FLIGHT. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY KICKED THE FUEL SWITCH TO THE 'OFF' POSITION. HE REPORTED THAT HE DOES NOT USE A CHECKLIST, AND HE SETS THE COCKPIT SWITCHES UP FOR THE NEXT FLIGHT AFTER ENGINE SHUTDOWN.
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: 2,500 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 108 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1990; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from TYS, 2 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.