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CHI89DEM10

1989-09-30 · INTERLOCHEN, Michigan, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport Y88

N76DJ has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (PZL-SWIDNIK PW-5, built 2001), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

LOOSE CYLINDER DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE BY THE PILOT/OWNER, WHICH RESULTED IN OVERHEATING AND FAILURE OF THE ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEAD. THE PRESENCE OF TREES WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.

Factual narrative

DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE ARPT & THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. NEW VALVES HAD RECENTLY BEEN INSTALLED IN THE ENG. AN EXAM OF THE HOME BUILT ACFT'S ENG REVEALED THE #3 CYLINDER HEAD WAS LOOSE & A HOLE HAD MELTED IN THE ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEAD. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_CHI89DEM10.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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