- Date
- November 14, 1985, 12:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gig Harbor, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N31131Brisbin Pientenpol Aircamper
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851114074949A
- Case key
- 40333
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
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31131
- Reported as
- Brisbin Pientenpol Aircamper (PIENTENPOL)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Airframe hours
- 98
- Engine
- Continental A-65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles L Woodke
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- TIW · Tacoma, WA
- Destination
- OS8 · Port Orchard, WA
- Airport
- TIW · Tacoma Narrows
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,450 total · 10 in this make and model · 1,450 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.