- Date
- September 8, 1985, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sharpsville, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4354Volksplane VP-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850908067769A
- Case key
- 30160
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt experienced a loss of eng RPM during cruise flt. He applied carb heat and lowered the nose of the acft in an attempt to regain eng RPM however, the eng continued to loose speed. The eng was below 2000 RPM and dropping when the plt elected to make a force landing in a picnic area. Examination of the acft disclosed moisture inside the magneto casing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4354
- Reported as
- Volksplane VP-1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- CSJ-HTI
- Airframe hours
- 625
- Engine
- Volkswagen VW1600, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph E. Williams
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 6, 1984
- Departed
- BTP · Butler, PA
- Destination
- Youngstown, PA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 323 total · 59 in this make and model · 275 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.