NTSB LAX92FA305 — 1992-07-19 · OVERGAARD, Arizona, United States

Aircraft involved

N8048T Cessna 175A Fatal

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PERFORMANCE PLANNING AND DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE OVER THE MAXIMUM CERTIFIED GROSS WEIGHT AT A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS DURING THE THREE PRECEDING ANNUAL INSPECTIONS WHICH FAILED TO DETECT BROKEN GEAR TEETH FROM A PREVIOUS MAINTENANCE DEFICIENCY WHICH ACCELERATED THE ENGINE WEAR THROUGH FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE.

Factual narrative

A CESSNA 175A DESCENDED DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE ABOUT ONE QUARTER MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT HAND PROPPED THE AIRPLANE TO START THE ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE THEN TAXIED FOR DEPARTURE WITH THREE OTHER ADULTS IN THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT TWENTY FEET AND DID NOT GAIN ALTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE WAS DETERMINED TO BE 21 POUNDS OVER GROSS WEIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 8,800 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED METAL PARTICLES SUSPENDED IN THE ENGINE OIL. ANALYSIS OF THE ENGINE OIL REVEALED ENGINE WEAR TO BE HIGH FOR THE 13 HOURS SINCE THE LAST OIL CHANGE. TEETH FROM A BROKEN STARTER DRIVE GEAR WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE OIL SUMP. THE STARTER DRIVE HAD BEEN REPLACED 3.5 YEARS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THREE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED IN THE 3 YEAR PERIOD. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_LAX92FA305.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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