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LAX90FA128

1990-03-30 · LA VERNE, California, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport POC

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF POWEROLANT CONTROLS WHICH RESULTED IN AN EXCESSIVE RICH MIXTURE AND POWER LOSS. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

Factual narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ON A STEEP FAST FINAL APPROACH. THE PILOT ANNOUNCED HE WAS GOING AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND BLACK SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE ENGINE EXHAUST SYSTEM. A POWER REDUCTION WAS HEARD, FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. DURING A MANEUVER INTO AN OPEN FIELD THE AIRPLANE STALLED ABOUT 50 FT AGL. EXAMINATION OF THE SPARK PLUGS EXHIBITED CARBON SOOTING INDICATIVE OF A RICH MIXTURE. THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE WERE FOUND IN THE FULL OPEN AND FULL RICH POSITION. THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK NOTES USE OF THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP WITH THE THROTTLE FULL OPEN AND THE MIXTURE NOT LEANED WILL RESULT IN AN ENRICHED MIXTURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_LAX90FA128.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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