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CHI91LA202

1991-06-26 · VERMILLION, South Dakota, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport VMR

N541FL has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (DASSAULT-BREGUET FALCON 20, built 1966), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES AND AN IMPROPER LANDING FLARE. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE USE OF AUTOMOBILE FUEL, EXTREME TEMPERATURES AND OVERSHOOTING THE PLANNED LANDING APPROACH.

Factual narrative

AFTER A BRIEF LOCAL FLIGHT, THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT TO REENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. HE REPORTED THAT AS HE NEARED THE AIRPORT THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. BECAUSE OF HIS POSITION AND ALTITUDE THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A DOWNWIND LANDING ON RUNWAY 30 (HE ESTIMATED THE WINDS AS OUT OF 140 DEGREES AT 10 TO 12 KNOTS). THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE OVERSHOT THE RUNWAY AND MADE A HARD LANDING IN A BEAN FIELD. A POST ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN UP REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CAPABLE OF NORMAL OPERATION. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE AND HIS INSTRUCTOR HAD ABORTED A FLIGHT EARLIER IN THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE ENGINE FAILED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THEY ATTRIBUTED THAT ENGINE FAILURE TO VAPOR LACK. THE AIRPLANE WAS FUELED WITH AUTOMOBILE GAS, AND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE MORE THAN 90 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_CHI91LA202.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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