NTSB CAROL · Event
Event BFO93LA142
Registry · N6617X
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
NORTH AMERICAN AT-6
Year of manufacture
1944 · 49 years old at event
Engine
P&W R1340 SERIES (600 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19910808
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A8BB53
Registrant of record
BURNS CHARLES R
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE WATER COLLECTION IN THE IGNITION HARNESS WHICH RENDERED THE LOWER CYLINDER SPARK PLUGS INOPERATIVE RESULTING IN PARTIAL POWER LOSS.
Factual narrative
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE PILOT STATED HE MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TOWARDS THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT BECAUSE OF THE AIRPLANE'S AIRSPEED AND THE TAILWIND, HE ELECTED TO LAND PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY ON THE GRASS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT GOING TO STOP PRIOR TO IMPACTING TREES LOCATED AT THE END OF THE GRASS SO HE GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE. DURING THE GROUND LOOP, THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND DAMAGING THE SPAR AND LANDING GEAR. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THERE WAS WATER IN THE FRONT AND REAR IGNITION HARNESSES RENDERING THE NUMBER 4, 5, 6, AND 7 CYLINDER SPARK PLUGS INOPERATIVE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1993_BFO93LA142.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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