Amateur-built PIENTENPOL AIRCAMPER accident near Gig Harbor, Washington, November 14, 1985
On November 14, 1985 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built PIENTENPOL AIRCAMPER, registered N31131, was destroyed in an accident near Gig Harbor, Washington (Tacoma Narrows airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1985 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gig Harbor, Washington · Tacoma Narrows
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PIENTENPOL AIRCAMPER PIENTENPOL
- Registration
- N31131 · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. A 75 FOOT TREE WAS STRUCK WITH THE AIRCRAFT STRIKING THE GROUND NOSE FIRST AND THEN COMING TO REST INVERTED. THE ENGINE WAS TESTED AND RAN NORMALLY WITH NO ABNORMALITIES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EXTREMELY LOW COMPRESSION ON CYLINDERS TWO THROUGH FOUR.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,450 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 1,450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 98 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIW Tacoma WA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: OS8 Port Orchard WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:07 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA86LA023.