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Atlas / NTSB / BFO92LA001

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event BFO92LA001

1991-10-18 SALUDA, Virginia, United States Airport · W75 None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N23398

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 150H

Year of manufacture

1968 · 23 years old at event

Engine

CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES (100 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19680523

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A21759

Registrant of record

HAAS JUSTIN

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF WITH INADEQUATE RUNWAY TO STOP. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE EXHAUST MUFFLER BAFFLE.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT COMPLETED THE PREFLIGHT AND PRETAKEOFF CHECKLIST SATISFACTORILY. HE PREPARED FOR A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF BY HOLDING THE BRAKE AND ADDING FULL POWER. HE RELEASED THE BRAKES AND AS THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERTED TO LIFT OFF SPEED 3/4 DOWN THE RUNWAY AND HE WAS ABOUT TO ROTATE AT 65 KNOTS, HE HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE A BACKFIRE. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, PULLED THE POWER OFF AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE RUNWAY ONTO A FIELD WHERE IT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. FAA EXAMINATION OF THE MUFFLER REVEALED RIGHT SIDE EXHAUST BAFFLE FAILURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_BFO92LA001.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.