Amateur-built DRAGON FLY accident near Vanolia, Ohio, February 8, 1984
On February 8, 1984 at about 8:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DRAGON FLY, registered N1711D, was destroyed in an accident near Vanolia, Ohio (Dayton Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 8, 1984 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Vanolia, Ohio · Dayton Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DRAGON FLY
- Registration
- N1711D · registry record · serial 353
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE ON DOWNWIND, THE ENG FAILED. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND BACK ON THE RUNWAY WHEN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE ACFT THEN STRUCK A 55 GAL CONCRETE DRUM AND A CHAIN LINK FENCE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFTREVEALED THAT A PLASTIC INSERT WHICH SERVES AS A MIXTURE FRICTION LOCK ON THE POSA CARBURETOR FAILED.
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: 828 hours in all; 828 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 792 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 8 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster 2100D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24L, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from DAY
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.