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LAX90FA311

1990-09-03 · FALLON, Nevada, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport FLX

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR LOSS OF ENGINE POWER (INCLUDING HIS FAILURE TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER OF THE AFFECTED ENGINE). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND OVERHEAT FAILURE OF THE #1 AND #4 PISTONS IN THE RIGHT ENGINE (FROM PREIGNITION OR DETONATION).

Factual narrative

THE ACFT HAD RECENTLY BEEN RETURNED TO SVC AFTER 5 YRS IN STORAGE. ON THIS FLT, IT WAS BEING USED TO TRANSPORT TWO POLITICAL CANDIDATES ON THEIR CAMPAIGN ITINERARY. DRG TAKEOFF FROM RWY 3, THE RGT ENG LOST PWR ON THE INITIAL CLIMB & THE ACFT DSCNDD & CRASHED ABT 2 MI SE OF THE ARPT. THE PLT DID NOT COMPLETE THE EMERG PROC FOR AN ENG FAILURE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT HE DID NOT FEATHER THE PROP, DID NOT BANK INTO THE GOOD ENG, AND DID NOT CLOSE THE COWL FLAPS ON THE INOP ENG. AN EXAM OF THE RGT ENG DISCLOSED OVERHEATING & ERROSION OF THE #1 & #4 PISTONS, WHICH RESULTED IN HOLES IN THE TOP EDGES OF THE PISTONS. ALSO, THERE WERE CLOGGED FUEL INJECTORS, CONTAMINATION & CORROSION OF THE FUEL INJECTOR PUMP, AND CONTAMINATION & PARTIAL OBSTRUCTION OF THE MANIFOLD VALVE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ABSOLUTE PRESSURE CTRL OF THE TURBOCHARGER WAS FOUND TO BE INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED. THE PLT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS DATED 8/13/86. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_LAX90FA311.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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