Amateur-built AIRSPEED accident near Butler, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1982
On September 19, 1982 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AIRSPEED, registered N827Z, was destroyed in an accident near Butler, Pennsylvania (Butler Farm airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1982 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Butler, Pennsylvania · Butler Farm
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AIRSPEED
- Registration
- N827Z · registry record · serial HCF4
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE OWNER INTENDED TO PUT HIS AIRCRAFT ON STATIC DISPLAY AT THE AIRPORT FLY-IN WHICH WAS ON THE SAME AIRPORT. A FRIEND INFORMED THE OWNER THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO FLY THE PLANE AND THE OWNER DISCLOSED THAT IT DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT INSPECTION. THE PLANE WAS FUELED WITH 3 GAL OF GASOLINE AND THE OWNER SUGGESTED THAT HIS FRIEND TAXI IT TO THE STATIC DISPLAY AREA. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 18 AND BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN. ONE WITNESS REPORTED THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 150 FT AGL. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STEEP TURN AND THE NOSE BEGAN DROPPING. REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE AIRCRAFT UP FROM A HIGH SINK RATE. ACCORDING TO A NEARBY WITNESS, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE OUTLET OF THE FUEL TANK WAS IN THE CENTER/BOTTOM OF THE TANK. THE OWNER BELIEVED THAT WITH ONLY 3 GAL OF FUEL, FUEL STARVATION COULD OCCUR IN UNCOORDINATED FLIGHT OR STEEP CLIMBS OR DIVES. HE BELIEVE THERE WAS 1 GAL OF UNUSABLE FUEL IN NORMAL BANKS/CAREFUL CLIMB
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; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 97 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-145-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Butler PA at 11:55 am
- Destination: Butler PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,590 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 165°F (74°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.
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 NYC82FGM16.