Gillespie CHALLENGER 2 N1591G

Summary

On 5 May 1996 at about 17:30 local time, a Gillespie CHALLENGER 2 registered N1591G was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 May 1996 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.4492, -149.7899

Aircraft

Gillespie CHALLENGER 2

Registration

N1591G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Birchwood

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC96LA069

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to properly use the mixture control to enrich the fuel mixture, and the seizure of the piston in the cylinder.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was in cruise flight on a personal flight when he noted a rise in the rear cylinder head temperature of the number two (rear) cylinder. He adjusted the mixture screw and watched the temperature continue to rise. During a precautionary landing, the engine stopped producing power, and the pilot was forced to land the airplane on a road. Subsequent examination showed that the piston in the rear cylinder would not move. Examination of the mixture screws showed that the mixture screw controlling the rear cylinder was in the lean position. The direction on rotation for leaning or enriching the mixture was not marked on the mixture screws.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.