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LAX91LA255

1991-06-08 · THERMAL, California, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport TRM

Current FAA registration · N6230D

Make / Model
CESSNA 172N
Year of manufacture
1979 · 12 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19790423
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A823BE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE/POWERPLANT FROM A WORN INTAKE VALVE AND THE FAILURE OF COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT TO PERFORM AN OVERHAUL ON THE ENGINE WITHIN THE TIME FRAME RECOMMENDED BY THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER.

Factual narrative

A CESSNA 172N NOSED OVER IN SOFT SOIL DURING LANDING ROLL AFTER A FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND LOSING POWER. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON AN AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE TO A RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED TO ABOUT 20 MPH DURING THE GROUND ROLL ON DIRT. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AFTER THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK A 15 TO 18 INCH HIGH DIRT BANK. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED BY AN A&P MECHANIC. THE A&P FOUND THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE WAS 'TULIPED.' ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS, THE ENGINE HAD ACCRUED 2,850 HOURS OF OPERATION WITHOUT OVERHAUL. FORTY FOUR HOURS OF OPERATION BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE'S CYLINDER COMPRESSION CHECKED 'OK' DURING A LEAK TEST. THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED TIME BETWEEN OVERHAULS IS 1,500 HOURS. DURING OVERHAUL THE VALVES ARE REMOVED AND VISUALLY CHECKED FOR WEAR. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX91LA255.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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