Amateur-built SONERAI II LT accident near Morganton, North Carolina, August 31, 1991
On August 31, 1991 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SONERAI II LT, registered N9QC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morganton, North Carolina (Morganton-Lenoir airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY, AND THE INADVERTENT ROTATION OF THE AIRPLANE, RESULTING IN AN UNPLANNED FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1991 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Morganton, North Carolina · Morganton-Lenoir · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SONERAI II LT SONERAI II
- Registration
- N9QC · no longer on the register · serial 816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING HIGH-SPEED TAXI TESTS ON THE RUNWAY. THERE WAS NO INTENT FOR FLIGHT. THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS NEWLY BUILT, AND HAD NEVER BEEN FLOWN. THE PILOT HAD NO EXPERIENCE IN THIS MODEL. WHILE TAXIING DOWN THE RUNWAY WITH THE ENGINE RPM SET AT 2,600, THE LEFT WING BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT TRIED TO RIGHT THE AIRPLANE, HOWEVER IT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT AND OFF OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE AIRPLANE THEN BECAME AIRBORNE, AND THE PILOT ADDED FULL THROTTLE. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB, AND THE ENGINE RPM WOULD NOT INCREASE, SO THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
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: 140 hours in all; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 2 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.