Stinson 108-1 VOYAGER accident near The Plains, Virginia, October 19, 1985
On October 19, 1985 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Stinson 108-1 VOYAGER, registered N8422K, was substantially damaged in an accident near The Plains, Virginia. 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
- October 19, 1985 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- The Plains, Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stinson 108-1 VOYAGER 108-1 VOYA · all 108-1 VOYAGERs on the register
- Registration
- N8422K · registry record · serial 108-1422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AT 3100 FEET MSL, OVER VIRGINIA ROUTE 66 AND ROUTE 245, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO VIBRATE TO THE EXTENT THAT THE PLT THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT SEPARATE FROM THE AIRFRAME.THE PLT SELECTED A FIELD AND SET UP AN APPROACH. ON FINAL, THE PLT DECIDED THAT THE FIELD WAS UNSUITABLE FOR LANDING. PWR WAS APPLIED AND THE PLT EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO AN ALTERNATE FIELD. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HIS AIRSPEED WAS TOO HIGH TO STOP IN THE SECOND FIELD, AND HE TURNED RIGHT ABOUT 45 DEGREES, AIMING FOR A NARROW BREAK IN THE TREE LINE. AFTER SEVERING THREE SMALL TREES, THE ACFTNOSED OVER AND ROTATED TO A STOP, COMING TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AN ENGINE MOUNT JOINT WASCRACKED IN THE WELD ITSELF, AND MOST OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES APPEARED AS IF A CRACK EXISTED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 269 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 133 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 1984; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A4150-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W66 Warrenton VA at 3:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from IAD, 15 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.
Other NTSB records under N8422K 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.