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FTW85FA224

1985-05-14 · MARFA, Texas, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MRF

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE PLT EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL PWR LOSS FROM THE RIGHT ENG DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB AND IN HIS HASTE TO CIRCLE BACK AND LAND DID NOT ALLOW THE ACFT TO GAIN ALT. HE THEN FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND AS A RESULT, LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND STALLED WITHOUT SUFFICIENT ALT TO AFFECT RECOVERY BEFORE GROUND IMPACT. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED SEVERAL DISCEPANCIES. 1) THE INDUCTION AIR FILTER WAS CLOGGED WITH DIRT/DEBRIS, 2) THE AUTOMATIC AIR DOOR HINGE WAS BROKEN PREVENTING THE DOOR FROM REMAINING CLOSED AND 3) THE AUTOMATIC AIR DOOR HINGE BEHIND THE MANUAL ALTERNATE AIR BUTTERFLY WAS BROKEN. THE SPARK PLUGS ON THE RIGHT ENG WERE CARBON FOULED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_FTW85FA224.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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