Mason County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Point Pleasant, West Virginia 25550
Sunday, September 22, 1985 18:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT SHE MADE A NORMAL PREFLT. SHE REPORTED THAT THE FLOAT TYPE FUEL GAGE INDICATED THAT THE MAIN FUEL TANK, WHICH HAD A CAPACITY OF 12 GAL, WAS HALF FULL. WHILE CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 500 FT AGL AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG SPUTTERED & LOST POWER. THE PLT PUMPED THE THROTTLE & THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING AGAIN FOR ABOUT 1 OR 2 SECS, THEN IT QUIT AGAIN. THE PLT TURNED AWAY FROM HOUSES & TRIED TO GLIDE TO A CORN FIELD. HOWEVER, SHE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE FIELD & LANDED THE ACFT IN TREES. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED ONLY RESIDUAL FUEL WAS REMAINING IN THE MAIN FUEL TANK & THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THAT POSITION. THE LEFT AUX FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, BUT THE RIGHT AUX TANK WAS NEARLY FULL. DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE MAIN FUEL TANK, THE FUEL LEVEL IN IT COULD NOT BE VISUALLY SEEN. ALSO, DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE BOBBER/FLOAT ON THE MAIN FUEL INDICATOR, THE ROD COULD STICK TO THE SIDES OF THE FILLER NECK. A WITNESS VERIFIED THAT THE FLOAT INDICATOR GAGE INDICATED HALF FULL DURING THE PREFLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City POINT PLEASANT
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25550
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MASON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1810
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1115
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28453
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21GT
NTSB Number ATL85FIJ01
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STARDUSTER
Aircraft Model SA-100
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-100
Aircraft Serial Number GTG-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 8 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 348
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MS. HILDA F. WORLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 7, BOX 406G
Aircraft Owner City SO. CHARLESTON
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 25309
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3I2
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1805
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 3I2
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --