Amateur-built STARDUSTER SA-300 accident near Stormville, New York, August 7, 1988
On August 7, 1988 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built STARDUSTER SA-300, registered N34BC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stormville, New York (Stormville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 7, 1988 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Stormville, New York · Stormville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STARDUSTER SA-300 STARDUSTER
- Registration
- N34BC · registry record · serial 1750
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A STARDUSTER SA-300 WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT WHEN HE LANDED AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT WHICH HAD BEEN NOTAMED CLOSED AND HAD AN X ON THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID A VEHICLE OBSCURED THE APPROACH END DURING THE APPROACH AND THEN LEFT THE RUNWAY. HE SAID HE DID NOT OBSERVE THE X ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED RIGHT AND STRUCK A VEHICLE PARKED NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD NOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE X USED ON THE RUNWAY WAS 2 FT WIDE AND 16 FT LONG, MUCH SMALLER THAN RECOMMENDED BY THE FAA. THREE OTHER AIRCRAFT ALSO LANDED AT THE SAME AIRPORT WHILE THE RUNWAY WAS MARKED WITH THE X.
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: 16,004 hours in all; 454 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,631 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NG3 Montgomery NY at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,320 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.