Amateur-built SA100 accident near Slatington, Pennsylvania, August 21, 1988
On August 21, 1988 at about 6:45 pm local time, a amateur-built SA100, registered N22GT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Slatington, 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
- August 21, 1988 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Slatington, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SA100
- Registration
- N22GT · registry record · serial GT2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE HOMEBUILT ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 300 FT AGL DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENG (ONCE), BUT AS HE TURNED THE ACFT BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN. DURING AN EMERG LANDING, THE ACFT STRUCK TREES IN A WOODED AREA ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE ARPT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. THE PLT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE ACFT & WAS USING FUEL FROM THE WING TANKS FOR THE 1ST TIME WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. HE REPORTED THAT THE WING TANKS WERE FULL OF AUTO FUEL, WHICH THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD USED. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD NOT FLOWN THE ACFT FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. IMPACT DAMAGE COMPROMISED THE FUEL SYSTEM, PRECLUDING ANY ASSESSMENT OF THE FUEL CONDITIONS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 25, 1987; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 69N Slatington PA at 6:44 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.