Amateur-built SPARROW II accident near Lafontaine, Indiana, December 21, 1992
On December 21, 1992 at about 6:20 pm local time, a amateur-built SPARROW II, registered N6648Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafontaine, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO A BLOCKED FUEL LINE WHICH WAS CAUSED BY IMPROPER GASKET SEALING COMPOUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 1992 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Lafontaine, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SPARROW II
- Registration
- N6648Y · no longer on the register · serial CA-310
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT EXPERIENCED COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, AND MADE FORCED LANDING IN PLOWED FIELD. AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. THE ENGINE FUEL LINE WAS FOUND TO BE BLOCKED BY GASKET SEALING COMPOUND USED IN THE FUEL TANK.
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
- Flight time: 165 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1992; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax BMBDIER 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IWH Wabash IN at 6:10 pm
- Destination: MZZ Marion IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from GUS, 20 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.