Amateur-built SONERAI II accident near Traverse City, Michigan, October 4, 1985
On October 4, 1985 at about 12:37 pm local time, a amateur-built SONERAI II, registered N47GL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Traverse City, Michigan. 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
- October 4, 1985 · about 12:37 pm local time
- Place
- Traverse City, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SONERAI II
- Registration
- N47GL · registry record · serial 635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED A TREE AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF PWR WHICH RESULTED FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 402 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1985; 44 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1914 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVC Traverse City MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:37 pm from TVC, 7 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.