Martin SORRELL HIPERLIGHT accident near Liano, California, April 2, 1989
On April 2, 1989 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Martin SORRELL HIPERLIGHT, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N85HL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liano, California. 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
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A SEIZED PISTON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1989 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Liano, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Martin SORRELL HIPERLIGHT SORRELL HI, amateur-built
- Registration
- N85HL · no longer on the register · serial 082
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE PISTON HAD SEIZED WITH FOUR POINTS OF CONTACT ALONG THE CYLINDER WALL. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN RECENTLY OVERHAULED AND HAD 1.1 TOTAL HOURS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE TWO CYCLE ENGINE (MANUFACTURERED BY ROTAX) HELD NO FAA APPROVAL BY EITHER TYPE CERTIFICATE OR PRODUCTION CERTIFICATE.
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: 366 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 305 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 108 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 21, 1989; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 277 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:00 am
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.