- Date
- July 30, 1993, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Matawan, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6617XNorth American AT-6
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930730027159A
- Case key
- 11958
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The water collection in the ignition harness which rendered the lower cylinder spark plugs inoperative resulting in partial power loss.
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
Shortly after takeoff, the airplane's engine lost partial power. The pilot stated he made a 180 degree turn back towards the departure runway. The pilot stated that because of the airplane's airspeed and the tailwind, he elected to land parallel to the runway on the grass. The pilot stated that the airplane was not going to stop prior to impacting trees located at the end of the grass so he ground looped the airplane. During the ground loop, the airplane's left wing contacted the ground damaging the spar and landing gear. Post accident examination of the engine revealed that there was water in the front and rear ignition harnesses rendering the number 4, 5, 6, and 7 cylinder spark plugs inoperative.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6617X
- Reported as
- North American AT-6
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7718-59
- Airframe hours
- 4,625
- Engine
- P&W R-1340 AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bi-Plane Adventure Tours Inc.
- Registered owner
- Edward Del Rosso
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 14, 1993 · 39 hours before
- Departed
- 2N8
- Destination
- N51 · Solberg, NJ
- Airport
- 2N8 · Marlboro Airport, runway 9, 1,500 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,210 total · 119 in this make and model · 5,154 as pilot in command · 165 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ACY, 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.