NTSB CAROL · Event
Event MIA91LA128
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE CARBURETOR.
Factual narrative
WITNESSES STATED ENG DID NOT SOUND AS IF IT WAS PRODUCING FULL POWER ON TAKEOFF. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENG QUIT. AS THE PLT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON AN ALLEY THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD IN A RIGHT SLIP. THE ACFT THEN BOUNCED INTO THE AIR, TRAVELED 80 FEET, COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE, AND CAME TO REST. AFTER THE ACCIDENT A LARGE AMOUNT OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL LEAKED FROM THE RUPTURED FUEL TANK AND LINES. EXAM OF THE ENG AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE SPARK PLUGS, PISTONS, AND CYLINDERS HAD EXCESSIVE BLACK SOOT DEPOSITS. THE CARB IDLE ADJUSTING SCREW WAS STRIPPED AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL SCREW HAD RECENT TOOLING MARKS ON IT. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OPERATING WITH A RICH FUEL MIXTURE AND THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO ADJUST IT TO THE PROPER SETTING. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1991_MIA91LA128.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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