North American NAVION A accident near Chehalis, Washington, September 1, 1991
On September 1, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a North American NAVION A, registered N91736, was destroyed in an accident near Chehalis, Washington (Chehalis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB DUE TO THE FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE NUMBER ONE PISTON CONNECTING ROD RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chehalis, Washington · Chehalis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION A · all NAVION As on the register
- Registration
- N91736 · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-188
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER RETRACTING THE GEAR ON TAKEOFF, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT, WHO WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 FFET ABOVE THE RUNWAY WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED, MADE A FORCED LANDING JUST OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, DURING THE FLARE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED NUMEROUS YOUNG CHRISTMAS TREES. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER ONE PISTON CONNECTING ROD HAD FRACTURED.
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: 1,146 hours in all; 431 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 968 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1990; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E185-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CLM Port Angeles WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.
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 SEA91LA227.