Rockwell International 112 accident near Gainesville, Georgia, October 16, 2014
On October 16, 2014 at about 3:29 pm local time, a 1975 Rockwell International 112, registered N1148J, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Gainesville, Georgia (Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial loss of engine power due to the undetected blockage of the inlet and outlet ports of the manifold valve by an organic compound of an unknown source.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2014 · about 3:29 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Georgia · Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International 112 A, built 1975 · all 112s on the register
- Registration
- N1148J · registry record · serial 428
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and private pilot were conducting an instructional flight. A witness reported that, when the airplane about 400 ft above the ground, he heard a "surging" sound coming from the engine and observed pitch and roll oscillations occurring; he then lost sight of the airplane. A video provided by the fixed-based operator showed the airplane take off and begin to climb. Shortly after, it recorded a radio call on the common traffic advisory frequency indicating that an emergency existed and that the airplane was returning to the airport. Another witness reported seeing the airplane's landing gear barely clear a building as it flew toward the airport. He added that, as the airplane neared power lines, the airplane pitched up, likely in an attempt to avoid them. The airplane then collided with a telephone pole and unmarked transmission lines, which ruptured the fuel tank, and then struck the ground. A postcrash fire ensued that nearly consumed the cockpit, cabin, and both wings. Examination of the flight controls and heat-damaged engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failures or malfunctions. Examination of the manifold valve revealed that the inlet and outlet ports were blocked to varying degrees. Analysis of the blockage material determined that it was an organic polymer material consistent with polyester; however, the source of the contamination could not be determined. Although the blockages of the inlet and outlet ports precluded postaccident flow testing of the manifold valve, it is likely that the blockages resulted in the surging reported by the witness and the subsequent loss of engine power. The blockages likely would not have created a condition that would have been detectable to the pilots during the pretakeoff engine run-up. Although the fuel vent lines of both wings were found blocked with organic material consistent with insect nest material, the accident flight was very short and, therefore, it is unlikely that these blockages affected the engine operation. The blockages of the fuel vents were located in an area that would not have been visible to the pilots during the preflight inspection of the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during emergency descent
- Abrupt maneuver during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel divider › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel divider › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,171 hours in all; 253.3 in the last 90 days; 69.8 in the last 30 days; 4,011.3 as pilot in command; 3,355.1 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 14, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 711 hours in all
- Last flight review: February 15, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,657 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GVL Gainesville GA at 3:28 pm
- Destination: GVL Gainesville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,001 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,200 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from GVL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA15FA016.