- Date
- May 17, 1990, 09:46 local (16:46 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N58PPCunningham Prescott Pusher
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 21, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900517016509A
- Case key
- 26551
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
Engine failure due to mechanical failure of he internal components to the 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 immediately after takeoff the engine lost power. The aircraft crashed into the side of a hill during the attempt to return to the airport. Examination of the spark plug to the no. 3 cylinder had burned/melted with the others indicating excessive heat damage. The no. 3 piston was found seized on the connecting rod. The float in the carburetor was found set to a very lean condition with the float chamber vent line plugged/capped off. The total engine time was 1.9 hours with a total flight time approximately three minutes.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N58PP
- Reported as
- Cunningham Prescott Pusher (PRESCOTT P)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 42
- Airframe hours
- 2
- Engine
- Ford V-6, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cunningham, Coulter
- Registered owner
- Ewc Cunningham
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · May 16, 1990 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- SDM · San Diego, CA
- Destination
- CA
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
- 74
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 27,000 total · 2 in this make and model · 21,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.