Amateur-built QUICK SILVER accident near Vancouver, Washington, August 7, 1985
On August 7, 1985 at about 11:53 pm local time, a amateur-built QUICK SILVER, registered N824CB, was destroyed in an accident near Vancouver, Washington (Unknown airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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, 1985 · about 11:53 pm local time
- Place
- Vancouver, Washington · Unknown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUICK SILVER QUICK SILV
- Registration
- N824CB · registry record · serial 8-24-49-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS OBSERVED WORKING ON ENGINE DISTRIBUTOR PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FOR WEEKEND DEMO AT AIRSHOW FOR DESIGN SALES PROMOTION. WITNESSES NOTED ENGINE SOUND ON TAKEOFF SEEMED LESS THAN NORMAL. ACFT LIFTED OFF, GEAR WERE RETRACTED AND ACFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 200 FT AGL BEFORE A LEFT TURN BEGAN. AFTER 90 DEG OF TURN, BANK STEEPENED TO NEAR 60 DEG, NOSE DROPPED THROUGH AND ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. FIRE BROKE OUT ON IMPACT, CONSUMING FUSELAGE. INVESTIGATION SHOWED DISTRUBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR SHATTERED ON GROUND IMPACT, NO DETERMINATION MADE OF POSS MALFUNCTION. EXCEPT FOR UNEVEN COLORATION OF SPARK PLUGS, NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED ON ENGINE INSPECTION.
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: 2,800 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 940 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 1985; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Gm V-8 215 CID (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 59S at 11:53 pm
- Destination: TIW Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from PDX, 12 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N824CB 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.