Amateur-built SONERAI II accident near Battle Creek, Michigan, October 9, 1983
On October 9, 1983 at about 3:47 pm local time, a amateur-built SONERAI II, registered N22SK, was destroyed in an accident near Battle Creek, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 9, 1983 · about 3:47 pm local time
- Place
- Battle Creek, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SONERAI II
- Registration
- N22SK · registry record · serial 00052
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT FLEW THE HOME BUILT ACFT FROM BATTLE CREEK TO MARSHALL, MI TO TALK TO FRIENDS. AFTER ABOUT 30 MIN, HE TOOK OFF WITHOUT REFUELING. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT DEPARTED, A WITNESS ON A GOLF COURSE HEARD THE SOUND OF THE ENG. HE LOOKED UP & SAW THE ACFT IN ABOUT A 30 DEG CLIMB. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT CLIMBED APRX 400 TO 500 FT, TO A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 2000 TO 3000 FT, THEN THE NOSE CAME DOWN SLOWLY & THE ACFT STARTED DESCENDING. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFT CONTINUE DESCENDING UNTIL THE PLT STARTED TO PULL OUT OF THE DIVE. DURING THE PULL-OUT, THE RIGHT WING FOLDED UPWARD & SEPARATED. THE ACFT THEN WENT INTO A RAPID SPIN & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING HAD SEPARATED AT THE ROOT. THE SEPARATED WING HAD A CREASE STARTING AT THE LEADING EDGE WING ROOT & ANGLED OUTBOARD & REARWARD AT A 45 DEG ANGLE. AN EXAM OF THE TOP SPAR CAP SHOWED EVIDENCE OF BUCKLING PRIOR TO WING SEPARATION.A LOG SHOWED THAT THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED AEROBATIC FLT. THE ACFT WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR AEROBATICS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,397 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,440 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 91 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 13, 1983; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 925 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen TYPE I (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTL Battle Creek MI at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from BTL, 8 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.