Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Glendale, Arizona 85308
Friday, July 31, 1992 15:05 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE WAS WITNESSED BY SEVERAL A & P MECHANICS WORKING AT THE GLENDALE AIRPORT. ONE WITNESS SAID THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING ROUGH AND BACKFIRING DURING THE PRETAKEOFF ENGINE RUNUP. THE AIRCRAFT INITIATED A TAKEOFF AND THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND BACKFIRING CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL AND INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO MANEUVER TO THE DOWN WIND LEG AS IF THE PILOT WERE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN FOR A LANDING, THEN THE ENGINE CEASED RUNNING ALTOGETHER. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A CORN FIELD ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND SHEARED OFF THE LANDING GEAR. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY AN A & P MECHANIC UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP ON THE VALVE STEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO EXCESSIVE CARBON DEPOSITS ON THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE, AND, THE PILOTS ATTEMPTED OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1505
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City GLENDALE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85308
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2553
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1610
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47385
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4581W
NTSB Number LAX92LA327
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ROCKWELL
Aircraft Model 112TC
Aircraft Series Identifier 112TC
Aircraft Serial Number 13071
Certified Max Gross Weight 2850
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 1495
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEVIN D. NIELSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7632 W. MCCREA WAY
Aircraft Owner City GLENDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85308
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KEVIN D. NIELSEN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 7632 W. MCCREA WAY
Operator City GLENDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85308
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code GEU
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1504
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code O45
Destination City VACAVILLE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --