Amateur-built VP-1 accident near Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1985
On September 8, 1985 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built VP-1, registered N4354, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sharpsville, Pennsylvania. 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
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
- September 8, 1985 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sharpsville, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VP-1
- Registration
- N4354 · no longer on the register · serial CSJ-HTI
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENG RPM DURING CRUISE FLT. HE APPLIED CARB HEAT AND LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE ACFT IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN ENG RPM HOWEVER, THE ENG CONTINUED TO LOOSE SPEED. THE ENG WAS BELOW 2000 RPM AND DROPPING WHEN THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCE LANDING IN A PICNIC AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED MOISTURE INSIDE THE MAGNETO CASING.
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: 323 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 625 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen VW1600 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTP Butler PA at 1:00 pm
- Destination: Youngstown PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.