PRATTVILLE, AL, USA
N148DT
DANIEL S. TAYLOR SONERAI II LS
DURING THE PREVIOUS 4 MOS, THE ENG WAS EXPERIENCING A HOTTER CYLINDER HEAD TEMP OF THE LT REAR CYLINDER THAN THE RT. THE ENG COWLING WAS MODIFIED TO CORRECT THIS BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE CYLINDER HEADS WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY REMOVED WERE INSTALLED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE ENG WAS RUN FOR 30 MINUTES WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT, THE ACFT WAS SERVICED WITH FUEL, THE ENG WAS CHECKED, & THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TWICE AROUND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE TEMP PROBLEM CONTINUED. ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THIS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL DURING A SUBSEQUENT FLT AROUND THE PATTERN. THE RT SIDE OF THE COWLING WAS MODIFIED. THE FLT DEPARTED & AT AN ALT OF 500 FT, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED IN AN UNCOORDINATED LT TURN. THE ACFT STALLED, DESCENDED LT WING LOW & CRASHED IN A FIELD. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO FLT CONTROL MALFUNCTION. EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED EVIDENCE OF A LEAN FUEL/AIR MIXTURE BUT THE REASON COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. FACTORS WERE UNDETERMINED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN TYPE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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