Ryan NAVION A accident near Franklin, Pennsylvania, November 14, 1988
On November 14, 1988 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION A, registered N5164K, was destroyed in an accident near Franklin, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DUE TO IMPROPER GRADE OF FUEL IN THE AIRPLANE AND BENT AND BINDING EXHAUST VALVES, THE AIRPLANE ENGINE HAD A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. THE PILOT DID NOT ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND COLLIDED WITH TREES WHEN THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN FLYING AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1988 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION A · all NAVION As on the register
- Registration
- N5164K · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-2064
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE ENG SPUTTERING AND BACKFIRING DURING WHAT THEY REPORTED WAS A LONG, SLOW TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. THEY STATED THE ENG RPM SEEMED TO DECREASE AS THE ACFT PASSED THE TERMINAL BUILDING IN A SLOW SPEED, HIGH PITCH ATTIUDE. THE ACFT THEN DESCENDED BEHIND TREES. AUTO GAS WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM AND NO SUPPLEMENTAL TYPECERTIFICATE (STC) FOR AUTO GAS WAS FOUND FOR THE ACFT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE #2 EXHAUST VALVE WAS VISIBLY WARPED. THE #3 EXHAUST VALVE GUIDE WAS BROKEN AND MOVED WITH THE STEM AS IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE CYLINDER. THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE WAS ALSO TIGHT IN THE GUIDE. COMPRESSION WAS CHECKED AND THE #2 CYLINDER COMPRESSION WAS ZERO.
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: 4,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,457 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E225 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:42 pm from FKN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.