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LAX85FA251

1985-05-10 · HAYWARD, California, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport HWD

N2022B has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (AIR TRACTOR INC AT-802A, built 2011), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

ACCORDING TO THE ATCT TAPES, 3 MINS ELAPSED BETWEEN THE TIME THE ACFT CALLED FOR TAXI FROM PARKING TO READY FOR TAKEOFF AT THE ACTIVE RWY. JUST AFTER LIFTOFF THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A 'MISSING' & 'BACKFIRING' ENGINE AS REPORTED BY WITNESSES. PLT RADIOED THE TOWER THAT HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS, WAS RETURNING TO THE ARPT & 'MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE A 180.' AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL ON A CLOSE CROSSWIND LEG, WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT MAKE A TIGHT STEEPLY BANKED RT TURN TO LINE UP WITH A TAXIWAY JUST PRIOR TO THE ACFT ABRUPTLY PITCHING DOWN, ROLLING RT & IMPACTING ON GOLF COURSE FAIRWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP DID NOT WORK WHEN INSTALLED IN A TEST STAND. BOTH RUST & CORROSION DEPOSITS WERE FOUND IN THE PUMP & FUEL METERING UNITS. THE ACFT HAD ACCUMULATED 909 HRS IN 10 YRS TIME WITHOUT AN ENGINE OR COMPONENT OVERHAUL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_LAX85FA251.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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