Amateur-built SNS-8 accident near Auburn, Washington, August 17, 2002
On August 17, 2002 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SNS-8, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Auburn, Washington (Auburn Academy airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff roll resulting in a ground loop. A contributing factor was crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2002 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Washington · Auburn Academy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SNS-8
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 46
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was practicing touch and go landings on an east/west turf runway in the unregistered Sorrell Aircraft Co. HiperLight SNS-8 biplane. During the takeoff roll, and about 25 miles per hour, the aircraft ground looped to the right departing the runway and coming to rest in high brush. The pilot reported that the wind changed while taking off to a left crosswind.
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: 426 hours in all; 3 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Enumclaw WA at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from SEA, 11 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.