Amateur-built SA-3B accident near Muscatine, Iowa, August 21, 1994
On August 21, 1994 at about 2:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SA-3B, registered N79GJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Muscatine, Iowa (Muscatine Municipal 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
A LOOSE INTAKE MANIFOLD PIPE ON THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WHICH RESULTED FROM IMPROPER MAINTENANCE. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE BUILDER/PILOT IMPROPERLY INSTALLING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD PIPE AND THE ALTERNATE LANDING AREA'S HIGH VEGETATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1994 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Muscatine, Iowa · Muscatine Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SA-3B
- Registration
- N79GJ · no longer on the register · serial 151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE'S ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT BUT THE ENGINE LOST MORE POWER AND THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND ON A GRAVEL ROAD. HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE ROAD WHEN HE NOTICED A VEHICLE ON THE ROAD THAT WAS COMING TOWARD HIM. HE SAID HE DECIDED TO LAND ONTO A SOY BEAN FIELD NEXT TO THE ROAD. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AS IT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE FIELD. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE'S NUMBER FOUR INTAKE PIPE WAS NOT SECURELY FASTENED TO THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER.
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: 261 hours in all; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 228 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 133 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 1994; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:31 pm from MLI, 2 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.