Amateur-built SONERAI II accident near Manassas, Virginia, October 21, 2000
On October 21, 2000 at about 6:07 pm local time, a amateur-built SONERAI II, registered N188P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manassas, Virginia (Manassas Regional 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
Fuel starvation of the engine, caused by the fracturing of the fuel pump switches during a turbulence encounter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2000 · about 6:07 pm local time
- Place
- Manassas, Virginia · Manassas Regional Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SONERAI II
- Registration
- N188P · registry record · serial 744
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot encountered turbulence while passing over a mountain range, en route to his destination airport. During the turbulence encounter, the pilot's knee came in contact with the instrument panel, and broke the right and left fuel pump toggle switches. Erratic fuel pressure indications were observed from the fuel pressure gauge. The pilot declared an emergency and as he prepared for a landing at a nearby airport, the engine lost power. About 1 mile from the end of the runway, the airplane encountered a downdraft, which caused the airplane to descend 600 feet. When the pilot realized he would not make the runway, he performed a forced landing in an open field. Examination of the airplane revealed the right fuel pump switch was 'completely shattered' and the left fuel pump switch was partially broken in the 'on' position.
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: 1,600 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen T835 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKV Winchester VA
- Destination: W32 Clinton MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34L, 3,702 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 131°F (55°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from HEF, 1 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number IAD01LA008.