North American NA1 accident near Mountain Home, Arkansas, June 28, 1991
On June 28, 1991 at about 3:50 pm local time, a North American NA1, registered N91108, was destroyed in an accident near Mountain Home, Arkansas (Baxter County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CONTAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM AND THE FOREIGN OBJECT BLOCKAGE OF THE VAPOR RETURN ORIFICE WHICH INDUCED THE POWER LOSS. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1991 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Mountain Home, Arkansas · Baxter County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NA1
- Registration
- N91108 · registry record · serial NAV4-11
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN TREES. THERE WERE NO OTHER SUITABLE FORCED LANDING AREAS. THE OCCUPANTS COULD NOT OPEN THE SLIDING CANOPY AND HAD TO EXIT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN DESTROYED BY A POST CRASH FIRE. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE PASSENGERS COULD SAY WHETHER OR NOT THE ENGINE HAD COMPLETELY QUIT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED CONTAMINATION IN THE FORM OF GRIT AND LINT THROUGHOUT THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. IN ADDITION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FOREIGN MATERIAL HAD BLOCKED THE VAPOR RETURN ORIFICE IN THE CARBURETOR. THE SOURCE OF THE CONTAMINATION WAS NOT DETERMINED; HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT GENERIC TO THE CARBURETOR OR FUEL SYSTEM. IT WAS ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED WITH EXCESSIVE MAGNETO DROP ON BOTH MAGNETOS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,216 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 1,166 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,823 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1991; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: HSV Huntsville AL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 4,510 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 11 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 FTW91FA109.