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NYC91LA215

1991-08-20 · MARTINSVILLE, Ohio, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ILN

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

A FAILURE OF ONE ENGINE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. ADDITIONALLY, THE HEAVY GROSS WEIGHT RESULTED IN INADEQUATE SINGLE ENGINE PERFORMANCE, WHICH LEAD TO A FORCED LANDING.

Factual narrative

AFTER TAKEOFF AT 600 FEET, THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SAID, '[THE] ALTITUDE DROPPED ABOUT 100' AND AIRSPEED AT 120 KNOTS. THE RIGHT ENGINE CAME BACK AGAIN . . . IT RAN FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. [I] ADJUSTED POWER ON LEFT ENGINE . . . FEATHERED RIGHT PROP AND TRIED TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, BUT AIRSPEED KEPT DIMINISHING, SO I HAD TO DESCEND TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED.' THE PILOT PUT THE LANDING GEAR DOWN TO ABSORB THE SHOCK OF LANDING IN A FIELD. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED NO MALFUNCTIONS IN THE ENGINE OR CARBURETOR. THE AIRPLANE WAS WITHIN ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT AND CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMITS. THE WEATHER WAS: CEILING 600 FEET BROKEN, 1500 FEET OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 3 MILES, LIGHT RAIN AND FOG. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_NYC91LA215.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.