NTSB CAROL · Event
Event SEA91FA175
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES WERE NOT FOLLOWED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER FUEL BOOST PUMP SELECTOR POSITION, LEADED SPARK PLUGS AND SUNGLARE.
Factual narrative
WHILE IN THE PATTERN FOR LANDING, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY AND A FORCED LANDING WAS INITIATED TO AN OPEN SCHOOL YARD. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, VERTICAL TO THE TERRAIN. DURING THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SPARK PLUGS WERE COATED WITH A LAYER OF BLACK CARBON. COCKPIT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP SWITCH WAS POSITIONED IN THE LOW SETTING. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS NOTED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1991_SEA91FA175.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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