NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX90LA156
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
FUEL CONTAMINATION AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING.
Factual narrative
THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB AND CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING A RETURN TO AIRPORT MANEUVER. FAA INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE. THE RIGHT FUEL CAP WAS FOUND TO HAVE A BADLY DETERIORATED 'O' RING, AND WATER WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. WITNESSES ON THE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WASHED THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE THE FLIGHT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_LAX90LA156.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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