- Date
- July 28, 1990, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hunter, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N81699WSK PZL Mielec M18A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900728029359A
- Case key
- 22939
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
Loss of part of the engine exhaust collector, as result of improper maintenance replacement/installation.
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 flying from one field to another the pilot experienced a rough running engine, an increase in fuel pressure, and saw flames coming over the nose of the airplane. A forced landing was performed in a flooded rice field. The airplane was consumed by fire. Investigation revealed that part of the engine exhaust collector was missing. A witness reported seeing something fall from the airplane, but nothing was found. The exhaust segment had been replaced by a local maintenance facility one day prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81699
- Reported as
- WSK PZL Mielec M18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12020-11
- Engine
- Pzl-Kalisz ASZ-62IR-M18, 967 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- In-Flight
- 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
- Annual · February 23, 1990 · 100 hours before
- 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
- 56
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 6,679 total · 256 in this make and model · 6,629 as pilot in command · 190 in the last 90 days · 61 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JBR, 55 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.