Amateur-built SA-750 accident near Painesville, Ohio, August 13, 1989
On August 13, 1989 at about 11:47 pm local time, a amateur-built SA-750, registered N69GM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Painesville, Ohio (Casement airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR FOR TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION; AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT AND THE TREES WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1989 · about 11:47 pm local time
- Place
- Painesville, Ohio · Casement · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SA-750
- Registration
- N69GM · no longer on the register · serial 5
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD NO PREVIOUS FLT TIME IN THIS ACFT & WAS PRACTICING GROUND TAXI OPNS. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE ELECTED TO TAKEOFF. WHEN HE TOOK OFF, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO USE FUEL FROM THE UPPER TANK, WHICH WAS NEARLY EMPTY. AFTER THE ACFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 400 FT AGL, THE ENG LOST POWER FROM FUEL STARVATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED AS THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO GLIDE TO AN OPEN FIELD. THERE WERE APRX 6 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE ACFT'S LOWER (MAIN) FUEL TANK.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,450 hours in all; 30 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command; 25 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 102 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 1988; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVZ
- Destination: PVZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,800 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.