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Atlas / NTSB / SEA92LA205

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event SEA92LA205

1992-09-16 LOPEZ, Washington, United States Airport · S31 Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N21538

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

MOONEY M20M

Year of manufacture

1998

Engine

LYCOMING TIO-540-AF1B (270 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20140905

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A1CEF7

Registrant of record

KEYSER SOZE LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAIURE TO OBTAIN PROPER ASSISTANCE AND TO PROPERLY SET THE THROTTLE.

Factual narrative

WHEN THE ACFT FAILED TO START BY USE OF THE STARTER, THE PILOT SET THE THROTTLE, EXITED THE ACFT AND ROTATED THE PROPELLER BY HAND TO START THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE REVVED TO A HIGH RPM WHEN IT STARTED. THE ACFT BROKE THE TIE DOWN ROPE ATTACHED TO THE TAIL, ACCELERATED ACROSS THE RAMP AND IMPACTED A TREE. THE PASSENGER DID NOT KNOW HOW TO STOP THE ACFT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_SEA92LA205.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.