Amateur-built SONERIA IIL accident near Ellensburg, Washington, May 21, 1990
On May 21, 1990 at about 11:10 pm local time, a amateur-built SONERIA IIL, registered N3229Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellensburg, Washington (Bowers 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING, CAUSED BY THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE CARBURETOR ICING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1990 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Ellensburg, Washington · Bowers · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SONERIA IIL SONERIA II
- Registration
- N3229Z · no longer on the register · serial 1023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM ELLENSBURG AIRPORT AND WAS CLIMBING ON DOWNWIND WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY FOR THE EMERGENCY FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ROUGH TERRAIN OFF THE AIRPORT, AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATE MODERATE TO SEVERE CARB ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED. THE PILOT HAD NOT APPLIED CARB HEAT.
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: 130 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 123 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1989; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 920 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen UNKNOWN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FHR Friday Harbor WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from SMP, 40 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.
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.