Amateur-built CASSUTT 111M accident near Plattsburg, Missouri, October 25, 1985
On October 25, 1985 at about 11:10 pm local time, a amateur-built CASSUTT 111M, registered N4AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plattsburg, Missouri (Plattsburg 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 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 25, 1985 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Plattsburg, Missouri · Plattsburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CASSUTT 111M CASSUTT 11
- Registration
- N4AS · registry record · serial AMS02
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LEVEL, IN CRUISE WHEN THE PLT NOTICED HIGH ENG TEMPERATURES. HE STATED THAT HE STARTED A SHALLOW CLIMB AND HEADED FOR THE NEAREST ARPT. EN ROUTE TO NEAREST ARPT, SMOKE CAME INTO THE COCKPIT AND THE PLT HEARD A LOUD NOISE THAT WAS ACCOMPANIED BY SMOKE AND FLAMES INSIDE THE ENG COMPARTMENT. PLT SHUT OFF FUEL VALVE. THE ACFT WAS TOO HIGH AND TOO FAST AS IT APPROACHED THE ARPT. THE PLT TRIED S TURNS BUT RAN OUT OF CONTROL DURING THE SECOND S. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN 100 FT TO THE WEST OF THE RWY AND 40 DEGS OFF THE RWY HEADING. THE RIGHT WING HIT STEEL FENCE POSTS AND BARBED WIRE. AFTER GROUND IMPACT THE ACFT FLIPPED UP AND AROUND AND STOPPED ON THE ARPT PROPERTY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BROKEN PISTON, A BROKEN PISTON PIN AND A SEPARATED CYLINDER HEAD ON 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: 408 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 61 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 188 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1985; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 82K Cameron MO at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,115 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:46 pm from MCI, 22 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.