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Atlas / NTSB / MKC89IA082

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event MKC89IA082

1989-03-20 BISMARK, North Dakota, United States Airport · BIS None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N690MF

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

DEHAVILLAND DHC-6-200

Year of manufacture

1968 · 21 years old at event

Engine

P&W PT6A SER (750 hp)

Seats / Engines

24 seats · 2 engines

Last airworthiness date

20000407

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A92BCF

Registrant of record

DESERT SAND AIRCRAFT LEASING CO INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

A FAILED (CRACKED) ENGINE PLENUM RESULTING IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Factual narrative

WHILE CLIMBING AFTER TAKEOFF AT NIGHT, THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED. THE FIGHT CREW SECURED THE RIGHT ENGINE & RETURNED TO A SAFE LANDING AT THE AIRPORT. AN ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED A CRACK IN THE PLENUM COMBUSTOR CHAMBER. THE CRACK EMINATED FROM A WELD BETWEEN TWO EXTERNALLY FIXED (WELDED) MOUNTS. THIS WAS THE SECOND PLENUM CHAMBER USED ON THIS ENGINE IN SIX MONTHS AND WAS OBTAINED FROM SPARE PARTS OF ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. IT WAS VISUALLY DETERMINED TO BE AIRWORTHY. NO OPERATIONAL HISTORY WAS AVAILABLE ON THIS PLENUM, NOR WAS THERE A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT. REPLACEMENT WAS ON CONDITION, AND DAMAGE CONDITIONS WERE REQUIRED TO MEET THE MANUFACTURERS CRITERIA. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_MKC89IA082.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.