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LAX92LA081

1992-01-04 · BAKERSFIELD, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BFL

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE WHEN THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A FUEL LEAK. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FRACTURED FUEL LINE DUE TO THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION AND OVERTORQUE OF THE LINE BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE.

Factual narrative

THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND A PASSENGER DEPARTED AN INTERMEDIATE FUEL STOP DURING A FERRY FLIGHT TO DELIVER THE AIRPLANE TO A NEW OWNER. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT SMELLED FUEL AND NOTICED FUEL DRIPPING INTO THE COCKPIT FROM UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, THE ENGINE QUIT. AFTER ROLLING OFF THE ACTIVE PORTION OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. FLAMES ERUPTED IN THE ENGINE AND COCKPIT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FLARED END OF A COPPER FUEL PRESSURE LINE FROM THE FUEL METERING UNIT TO THE FUEL PRESSURE GAGE WAS FRACTURED DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION AND OVERTORQUE. THIS CONDITION ALLOWED FUEL TO DRIP ONTO THE ALTERNATE-AIR CONTROL CABLE, RUN THROUGH THE FIREWALL TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THEN DRIP INTO THE COCKPIT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_LAX92LA081.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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