# NTSB FTW91DRD01: Monnett Soneria, N184TJ, Lake Charles, LA, October 21, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: October 21, 1990, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place: Lake Charles, LA
- Location: 30.1405° N, 93.2225° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from LAKE CHARLES RGNL (LCH), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.1405&lon=-93.2225&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 12, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 23220
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW91DRD01
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/23220/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW91DRD01

## Probable cause

A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. A FACTOR WAS THE PROXIMITY OF THE CROWD AND OTHER AIRPLANES IN THE RACE DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, maneuvering
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing
  - planned approach - not possible, pilot in command
  - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE AND SEVEN OTHER FORMULA A RACERS TOOK OFF AND HEADED FOR THE 'SCATTER PLYON.' INITIALLY THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND HE INITIATED A TURN TOWARD THE AIRPORT. AS HE CLEARED TREES TOTAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE FORCED LANDING WAS COMPLICATED BY THE PROXIMITY OF THE CROWD AND OTHER RACERS. IMPACT OCCURRED SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW. FAA INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE BUT FOUND NO REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N184TJ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N184TJ-1995-03-21), registration cancelled 1995-03-21, S/N 453 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MONNETT SONERIA
- Registry model: [Blackmon Tommy J SONERAI I](https://openairdocs.org/model/blackmon-tommy-j-sonerai-i) (registry code 056593Y) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 453
- Airframe hours: 68
- Engines: VOLKSWAGEN 1600CC 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Carl J. Swenson, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Unknown, October 18, 1990, 1 hours before
- Airport: LCH, Lake Charles Regional

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 8,732 total, 2 in this make and model, 8,300 as pilot in command, 380 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 19 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: LCH

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19901021046559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901021046559A), Oct 21, 1990: Amtrmo SONERAI, Lake Charles, LA, Substantial damage. Engine failed on climbout for an air race. Lost airspeed avoiding other racers and crowd. Crashed. No cause found.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.