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CHI86LA032

1985-11-21 · PEKIN, Illinois, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport C15

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

FOLLOWING A TOP OVERHAUL OF THE ENGINE A TEST FLIGHT WAS PLANNED TO BREAK IN THE CYLINDERS AND RINGS. PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED FOR A SHORT PERIOD ON THE GROUND THEN SHUT DOWN AND CHECKED FOR OIL LEAKS WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. THE TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB WERE UNEVENTFUL. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELOFF THE PROP SURGED MOMENTARILY AND ENGINE PERFORMANCE DETERIORATED RAPIDLY. THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND ENTERED THE VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN ON DOWNWIND. HE LOWERED THE GEAR AND LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT A 'B' NUT ON THE PORP GOVERNOR LINE HAD BACKED OFF, ALLOWING MOST OF THE OIL TO DRAIN OUT, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_CHI86LA032.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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