NTSB CAROL · Event
Event DEN90LA064
Registry · N9130A
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
CESSNA 170A
Year of manufacture
1949 · 41 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR C145 SERIES (145 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19551119
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ACA429
Registrant of record
KELSEY KEITH R
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
IMPROPER OPERATION OF THE ENGINE DURING PREFLIGHT PREPARATION, WHICH RESULTED IN OVERHEATING OF THE ENGINE AND DAMAGE TO INTERNAL COMPONENTS.
Factual narrative
THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE SEIZED DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT ON A NEWLY REBUILT ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN RUN IN ON THE GROUND AND THE PILOT MADE THREE FULL POWER, STATIC RUNS BEFORE TAKEOFF. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID THE SPARK PLUGS FROM CYLINDERS NUMBER 1, 3, & 5 SHOWED EVIDENCE OF HAVING RUN WITH A LEAN MIXTURE. THE NUMBER 3 & 5 CYLINDERS WERE SCUFFED AND METAL FROM THE PISTONS HAD TRANSFERRED TO THE CYLINDER WALLS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_DEN90LA064.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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