Amateur-built AEROSPORT SCAMP accident near Raeford, North Carolina, June 15, 1991
On June 15, 1991 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AEROSPORT SCAMP, registered N9994A, was destroyed in an accident near Raeford, North Carolina (Raeford Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE ENGINE CARBURETOR, AND HIS OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH A KNOWN POWERPLANT DEFICIENCY. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF SPRING TENSION FOR THE FUEL MIXTURE, AND THE FOULED CONDITION OF THE ENGINE SPARK PLUGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1991 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Raeford, North Carolina · Raeford Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AEROSPORT SCAMP AEROSPORT
- Registration
- N9994A · no longer on the register · serial CR1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ESTABLISHED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE ENGINE QUIT, AND THE HOME BUILT AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. A PILOT AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE ENGINE EARLIER IN THE DAY. DURING GROUND MAINTENANCE, THE ENGINE RAN ROUGHLY AT LOW RPM, AND QUIT SEVERAL TIMES DURING TAXI. HE ALSO OBSERVED THE ENGINE QUIT ON LANDING ROLL-OUT FROM A PREVIOUS FLIGHT THAT DAY. ANOTHER WITNESS HAD SEEN BLACK SMOKE TRAILING THE AIRPLANE DURING A PREVIOUS FLIGHT, AND HAD STATED SO TO THE ACCIDENT PILOT. THE PILOT TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CARBURETOR. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE HEAVILY SOOTED, AND ONE SPARK PLUG GAP WAS COMPLETELY BRIDGED WITH SOOT DEPOSITS. REPORTEDLY, THERE WAS NO SPRING TENSION IN THE CARBURETOR MIXTURE CONTROL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 72 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,402 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 024° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from FAY, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.