Amateur-built SH-2R accident near Nuevo, California, December 6, 1991
On December 6, 1991 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built SH-2R, registered N614LS, was destroyed in an accident near Nuevo, California. It was an other work-use 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON THE AIRPLANE'S POWERPLANT WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF PERFORMANCE DURING AN UNKNOWN PHASE OF OPERATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FOULED SPARK PLUGS AND THE PARTIAL LOSS OF AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1991 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nuevo, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SH-2R
- Registration
- N614LS · no longer on the register · serial 763
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH RUGGED TERRAIN AFTER A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. IT STRUCK THE NORTH FACE OF 20 DEG SLOPE OF AN EAST-WEST RIDGE, JUST BELOW THE CREST. THE AIRPLANE THEN SLID ABOUT 20 FT DOWN THE SLOPE WHERE A POST-IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE PLANE. AN EXAM OF THE ENGINE SPARK PLUGS REVEALED THE #1 & #3 CYLINDER SPARK PLUG GAPS WERE BRIDGED WITH CINDER-LIKE DEPOSITS WITH METALLIC GLOBULES STARTING TO FILL THE FIRING END CAVITY & WORN CENTER ELECTRODES. ACCORDING TO THE SPARK PLUG MANUFACTURER, SEVERELY FOULED PLUGS WILL OPERATE COLDER CAUSING MISFIRES, AND WILL ALSO MISFIRE AT HIGHER POWER BECAUSE OF THE CONDUCTIVE NATURE OF THE DEPOSITS AT ELEVATED TEMPS. BRIDGED GAPS WILL SHORT OUT THE SPARK PLUG. SUCH A MALFUNCTIONED PLUG WILL MISFIRE AT ALL POWER SETTINGS IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO A OIL FOULED PLUG. BRIDGED GAPS BRIDGED BY BEADED LEAD GLOBULE WILL NOT CLEAR UP BY ENGINE OPERATION & CAN BE CORRECTED ONLY BY REPLACING THE MALFUNCTIONING SPARK PLUG WITH A SERVICEABLE UNIT. THE ACDNT TIME WAS ESTD BE AT 1530 PST.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,030 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-B1E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: L12 Redlands CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.