- Date
- July 26, 1990, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hunter, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8154VWSK PZL Mielec M18A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900726029349A
- Case key
- 22938
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 continued operation with a known malfunctioning engine.
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
The pilot reported that he had been having to 'burn out' the engine before each takeoff in order to obtain takeoff power. He also stated that during this attempted takeoff the engine loaded up and would not develop sufficient power to maintain flight. A top overhaul was to have been performed two days after the accident. The airplane was not able to climb and impacted into an adjacent field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8154V
- Reported as
- WSK PZL Mielec M18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12020-15
- Airframe hours
- 447
- Engine
- Pzl-Kalisz ASZ-62IR-M18, 967 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Ken Fabel, doing business as Ken Fabel Fly Service
- Registered owner
- Kenneth S. Fabel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 5, 1989 · 447 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE
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
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,378 total · 450 in this make and model · 2,277 as pilot in command · 214 in the last 90 days · 105 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JBR, 57 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.