Glasair SH-2R N614LS
6 December 1991 · Nuevo, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 6 December 1991 at about 23:30 local time, a Glasair SH-2R registered N614LS, operated by Saber, Lloyd E., was involved in an accident near Nuevo, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Nuevo, California, United States
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Glasair SH-2R
- Registration
- N614LS
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Saber, Lloyd E.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Redlands → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX92FA064
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON THE AIRPLANE'S POWERPLANT WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF PERFORMANCE DURING AN UNKNOWN PHASE OF OPERATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FOULED SPARK PLUGS AND THE PARTIAL LOSS OF AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH RUGGED TERRAIN AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. IT STRUCK THE NORTH FACE OF 20 DEG SLOPE OF AN EAST-WEST RIDGE, JUST BELOW THE CREST. THE AIRPLANE THEN SLID ABOUT 20 FT DOWN THE SLOPE WHERE A POST-IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE PLANE. AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE SPARK PLUGS REVEALED THE #1 & #3 CYLINDER SPARK PLUG GAPS WERE BRIDGED WITH CINDER-LIKE DEPOSITS WITH METALLIC GLOBULES STARTING TO FILL THE FIRING END CAVITY & WORN CENTER ELECTRODES. ACCORDING TO THE SPARK PLUG MANUFACTURER, SEVERELY FOULED PLUGS WILL OPERATE COLDER CAUSING MISFIRES, AND WILL ALSO MISFIRE AT HIGHER POWER BECAUSE OF THE CONDUCTIVE NATURE OF THE DEPOSITS AT ELEVATED TEMPS. BRIDGED GAPS WILL SHORT OUT THE SPARK PLUG. SUCH A MALFUNCTIONED PLUG WILL MISFIRE AT ALL POWER SETTINGS IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO A OIL FOULED PLUG. BRIDGED GAPS BRIDGED BY BEADED LEAD GLOBULE WILL NOT CLEAR UP BY ENGINE OPERATION & CAN BE CORRECTED ONLY BY REPLACING THE MALFUNCTIONING SPARK PLUG WITH A SERVICEABLE UNIT. THE ACDNT TIME WAS ESTD BE AT 1530 PST.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Glasair SH-2R accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Sep 1998 | Glasair SH-2R | Panama City, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 1991 | Cessna C-172P | Hesperia, California, United States | South Bay Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1991 | Cessna 172N | Napa, California, United States | Bridgeford Flying SVC. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1991 | Beechcraft 76 | Sacramento, California, United States | Altair Aviation Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 1991 | Ayres S2R | Visalia, California, United States | Gilbert Aviation Industries | Serious injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 1991 | Cessna 421C | Auburn, California, United States | Edward Mueller | No injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Champion 7GCBC | Lake Elsinore, California, United States | Halbeisen, John F | Fatal | 2 |