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FTW85LA242

1985-06-02 · EL PASO, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ELP

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE PLT FIRST SMELLED, THEN OBSERVED SMOKE COMING INTO THE COCKPIT FROM UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG QUIT COMPLETELY. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN AREA OFF THE RWY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT & THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE MUFFLER ON THE LEFT SIDE, WHICH HAD BEEN OVERHAULED & INSTALLED ON 7/25/83, HAD FAILED NEAR THE OUTLET, ALLOWING HOT EXHAUST GASES TO ENTER THE ENG COMPARTMENT & BURN A WIRE BUNDLE CONTAINING THE MAGNETO WIRING (P-LEADS). A LARGE SECTION WAS MISSING FROM THE REAR HALF OF THE MUFFLER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_FTW85LA242.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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