DEN91LA053

1991-03-18 · NEDERLAND, Colorado, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

N1241J Rockwell 112B Serious

Probable cause & findings

DETERIORATED IGNITION HARNESS AND IGNITION LEAD ARCING. FACTORS WERE THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Factual narrative

AS THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A MOUNTAIN PASS, THE PILOT NOTICED DECREASING ENGINE MANIFOLD PRESSURE. UNABLE TO CLEAR HIGHER TERRAIN, HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN DEEP SNOW. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE RIGHT IGNITION HARNESS WAS DETERIORATED AND THE IGNITION LEADS HAD ARCED. THE LEFT IGNITION HARNESS (SLICK 1200 SERIES) HAD BEEN ALTERED WITH THE USE OF UNAPPROVED BENDIX 'PANCAKE' GROMMETS. THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN 129 HRS SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION. CONDITIONS PREVENTED RECOVERY OF THE WRECKAGE UNTIL 6/27/91. TOTAL TIME ON THE ENGINE WAS 1,714 HRS. RECOMMENDED OVERHAUL INTERVAL WAS 1,800 HRS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_DEN91LA053.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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