Rockwell 112TC accident near Glendale, Arizona, July 31, 1992
On July 31, 1992 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Rockwell 112TC, registered N4581W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glendale, Arizona. 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO EXCESSIVE CARBON DEPOSITS ON THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE, AND, THE PILOTS ATTEMPTED OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1992 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112TC
- Registration
- N4581W · no longer on the register · serial 13071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE WAS WITNESSED BY SEVERAL A & P MECHANICS WORKING AT THE GLENDALE AIRPORT. ONE WITNESS SAID THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING ROUGH AND BACKFIRING DURING THE PRETAKEOFF ENGINE RUNUP. THE AIRCRAFT INITIATED A TAKEOFF AND THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND BACKFIRING CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL AND INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO MANEUVER TO THE DOWN WIND LEG AS IF THE PILOT WERE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN FOR A LANDING, THEN THE ENGINE CEASED RUNNING ALTOGETHER. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A CORN FIELD ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND SHEARED OFF THE LANDING GEAR. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY AN A & P MECHANIC UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP ON THE VALVE STEM.
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: 155 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 105 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,495 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1992; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEU at 10:04 pm
- Destination: O45 Vacaville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N4581W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.