Amateur-built Supercat accident near Redding, Iowa, September 17, 2008
On September 17, 2008 at about 6:20 am local time, a amateur-built Supercat, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Redding, Iowa. 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 pilot's failure to properly manage the fuel supply of the airplane which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the hilly terrain encountered during the subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2008 · about 6:20 am local time
- Place
- Redding, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Supercat
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial None
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane had recently been purchased by the pilot and was being flown to his hometown airport. During the flight, the airplane's engine lost power and the pilot executed a forced landing in a rolling hay field which resulted in the airplane sustaining substantial damage. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tank had ruptured during the impact, however, further examination revealed no fuel remaining in the fuel lines or in the carburetor bowl. The pilot was issued a student pilot certificate and third class medical certificate on June 12, 2002. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records showed no further pilot or medical certificates issued to the pilot. The airplane was not registered and did not have an airworthiness certificate issued by the FAA. According to published data, a typical airplane of the same model has an empty weight of 325 pounds. The maximum legal empty weight limit for ultralight airplanes is 254 pounds. The pilot reported that he was unaware that the airplane was not an ultralight until after he had purchased it. He reported that "the people at the field told me I could fly 60 min[utes] plus 1 gal[lon]. It didn't."
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: St. Joseph MO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: EAG Eagle Grove IA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 UNREG 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.