Lewis CHALLENGER II N283EL
8 April 1991 · Thomaston, Georgia, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 8 April 1991 at about 21:50 local time, a Lewis CHALLENGER II registered N283EL, operated by Lewis, Eugene G., was involved in an accident near Thomaston, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Thomaston, Georgia, United States
- Nearest airport
- Reginald Grant Memorial (RGD)
- Coordinates
- 32.8897, -84.3208
- Aircraft
- Lewis CHALLENGER II
- Registration
- N283EL
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Lewis, Eugene G.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Lakeland
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL91LA078
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THE AIRPLANE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRESCRIBED PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL CONTAMINATION, FOULED SPARK PLUGS, AND A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ALSO FAILED TO FOLLOW NORMAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER LIFTOFF AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
N283EL WAS THE THIRD AIRPLANE OF A FLIGHT OF THREE. THE OTHER AIRPLANES CLIMBED OUT WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT AS N283EL STARTED ITS CLIMB, REPORTEDLY THE ENGINE LOST POWER. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED A LEFT TURN AND CRASHED 180 DEGREES FROM THE TAKEOFF HEADING ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY. DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL AND THE SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED. THE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY REPORTED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, BUT LATER REPORTED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN CORRECTED. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATIONAL LIMITATION FOR THE AIRPLANE, A CONDITIONAL INSPECTION IS REQUIRED ANNUALLY. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A COMPLETED CONDITIONAL INSPECTION SINCE THE AIRPLANE WAS CERTIFICATED IN 1988. SUFFICIENT RUNWAY WAS AVAILABLE FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Oct 1991 | Bell 47D-1 | Rome, Georgia, United States | Silver Hawk Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jan 1991 | Cessna 310 | Brunswick, Georgia, United States | Fosmire, William L | Fatal | 1 |
| 3 Feb 1991 | Piper PA-24-260 | Cordele, Georgia, United States | Carter, Richard C. | Fatal | 3 |
| 14 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-34-220T | Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States | Kirk Rudy, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 May 1991 | McDonnell Douglas MD-88 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Delta Air Lines | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Jun 1991 | Cessna T37B | Chickamauga, Georgia, United States | Brady, David F. | Fatal | 2 |