- Date
- June 30, 1985, 10:03 local (14:03 UTC)
- Place
- Hatteras, NC
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6393LAmerican AA-1A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850630028659A
- Case key
- 6818
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While on a flt to Hatteras, NC, the eng ran rough, so after landing, the plt got an auto mechanic to remove the spark plugs. The lower plugs on the left side were lead fowled & were cleaned with a wire brush. During takeoff on the next flt, the eng lost partial power shortly after lift-off. The plt wanted to land on a beach straight ahead, but there was a rain shower & reduced visibilility in that direction. Therefore, he remained in the traffic pattern, but was unable to climb above 200 ft. while maneuvering for alignment with the rwy, he made a steep turn & lost altitude. Subsequently, the acft crash landed short of the rwy. An exam of the eng revealed lead build-ups on the spark plugs & low compression in the #1 & #4 cylinders. While at Hatteras, the acft had been serviced with auto fuel, but it did not have an STC for auto gasoline.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6393L
- Reported as
- American AA-1A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA1A-0393
- Airframe hours
- 1,427
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dennis J. Diantonio
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Destination
- W22 · Woodbridge, VA
- Airport
- 8W5 · Billy Mitchell, runway 6, 3,000 × 76 ft, macadam
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,378 total · 358 in this make and model · 2,178 as pilot in command · 49 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HAT, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.