- Date
- June 26, 1991, 20:30 local (Jun 27, 1991, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Vermillion, SD
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N541FLPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910626026469A
- Case key
- 15108
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 pilot's decision to operate the airplane with known deficiencies and an improper landing flare. Related factors are the use of automobile fuel, extreme temperatures and overshooting the planned landing approach.
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
After a brief local flight, the pilot turned back toward the airport to reenter the traffic pattern. He reported that as he neared the airport there was a complete loss of engine power. Because of his position and altitude the pilot elected to make a downwind landing on runway 30 (he estimated the winds as out of 140 degrees at 10 to 12 knots). The pilot reported that he overshot the runway and made a hard landing in a bean field. A post accident engine run up revealed that the engine was capable of normal operation. The pilot reported that he and his instructor had aborted a flight earlier in the day of the accident because the engine failed during the takeoff roll. They attributed that engine failure to vapor lack. The airplane was fueled with automobile gas, and at the time of the accident the temperature was estimated to be more than 90 degrees fahrenheit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N541FL
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7125373
- Airframe hours
- 2,018
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kenneth A. Korn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 13, 1990 · 109 hours before
- Airport
- VMR · Harold-Davidson Field, runway 12, 4,100 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 464 total · 389 in this make and model · 407 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N541FL · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.