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LAX91FA156

1991-04-03 · SANTA PAULA, California, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SZP

N45EM has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (SCHLEICHER ASW-27, built 1996), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THAT THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY SELECTED THE WRONG FUEL TANK AND THE PASSENGER INTERFERED WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WHEN THE SEAT BACK FAILED.

Factual narrative

SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF ON RUNWAY 22 THE TANDEM SEATING AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER FOLLOWED BY THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE PITCHING UP RAPIDLY AND THEN STALL. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A GOLF CART AND BURST INTO FLAMES. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE KILLED FROM THE RESULTING POST IMPACT FIRE. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT ONLY THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED AT THE TIME THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP. THE PILOT WAS FOUND LYING FORWARD AND THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT WAS LYING SUPINE PARTLY IN THE AFT FUSELAGE. EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER'S SEAT FAILED IN A REARWARD DIRECTION AND THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS SELECTED TO THE OFF POSITION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX91FA156.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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