Amateur-built SONERAI II accident near Troy, Michigan, June 13, 1984
On June 13, 1984 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built SONERAI II, registered N1394H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troy, Michigan (Big Beaver Airport). 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
- June 13, 1984 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Troy, Michigan · Big Beaver Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SONERAI II
- Registration
- N1394H · no longer on the register · serial 809
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT AFTER A LOCAL FLT HE BEGAN A REDUCED POWER (1800 RPM) DESCENT FROM 4500 FT MSL BACK TO THE ARPT. AT 3300 FT MSL THE ENG QUIT. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENG AS THE PROP WAS NOT WINDMILLING & THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ENG STARTER. THE WING SCRAPED A PARKED VEHICLE ABOUT 100 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY BEFORE THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE SPARK PLUGS & EXHAUST PIPES WERE REPORTEDLY COVERED WITH BLACK SOOT. THE CARBURETOR WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH CARBURETOR HEAT.
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: 145 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 111 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1984; 19 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1850 CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,400 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from DET, 12 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.