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Atlas / NTSB / SEA92FA147

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event SEA92FA147

1992-07-09 WOODS CROSS, Utah, United States Airport · BTF Fatal 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

PILOT FACTOR IN THAT HE FAILED TO ATTAIN AND MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT FLYING SPEED. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CYLINDER OVER TEMPERATURE, IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE AND PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES WERE NOT FOLLOWED.

Factual narrative

DURING THE TAKE OFF GROUND RUN, WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL, HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE REMAINED ON THE RWY FOR AN UNUSUAL LENGTH OF TIME. WHEN THE AIRPLANE FINALLY LIFTED OFF NEAR THE END OF THE RWY, THE ANGLE OF ATTACK INCREASED ABOVE NORMAL. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO CLIMB IN THIS ATTITUDE, WITH THE WINGS WAGGING UP AND DOWN. THE AIRPLANE ATTAINED AN ALT OF APPROX 100 200 FT WHEN THE RT WING AND NOSE DROPPED TOWARD THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND APPROX ONE HALF MILE NORTH OF THE ARPT IN A NOSE DOWN, RT WING LOW ATTITUDE. A POST CRASH FIRE IGNITED AND CONSUMED THE AIRPLANE. DURING A POST CRASH ENG TEARDOWN, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE NUMBER SIX CYLINDER COULD NOT HOLD COMPRESSION. FURTHER TEARDOWN REVEALED A SECTION OF THE CYLINDER AROUND THE EXHAUST SEAL WAS MISSING. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE DAMAGE MOST LIKELY OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF EXTREMELY LEAN OPERATIONS WHICH LEAD TO DETONATION. THE PLT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE, WHICH WAS EQUIPPED WITH A TURBO CHARGER, AND WAS TAUGHT TO LEAN THE MIXTURE FOR TAKE OFF. THE OPERATORS MANUAL STATES FOR TAKE OFF TO HAVE THE MIXTURE FULL RICH. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_SEA92FA147.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.