Globe GC1B accident near Whitpain, Pennsylvania, May 24, 1985
On May 24, 1985 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Globe GC1B, registered N80902, was substantially damaged in an accident near Whitpain, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- May 24, 1985 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Whitpain, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Globe GC1B · all GC1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N80902 · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT OVERRAN THE END OF THE RWY AND CONTACTED ROUGH TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT LIFTED OFF APRX 1/2 THE WAY DOWN THE RWY BUT IT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO ACCELERATE AND CLIMB. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF HOWEVER, THE ACFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RWY.
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
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,710 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wings Field PA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: Athens TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.