Douglas TA-4K accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, August 18, 2016
On August 18, 2016 at about 2:39 pm local time, a 1970 Douglas TA-4K, registered N140EM, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Las Vegas, Nevada (Nellis Afb airport). It was an other work-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Foreign object debris in the engine's main fuel control unit, which restricted fuel flow and subsequently resulted in the loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the installation or addition of an extra seal during the main fuel control unit rebuild.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2016 · about 2:39 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Nellis Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas TA-4K NO SERIES, built 1970
- Registration
- N140EM · no longer on the register · serial 157914
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental turbojet airplane, the lead airplane of a flight of two, was returning to the airport after providing combat training support. He led the formation to the overhead pattern, and shortly after the break to downwind, the engine lost power. The engine did not respond to throttle movements. The pilot started a turn toward the airport; however, he realized that he was unable to make the runway, so he turned left away from the runway toward a field and then successfully ejected from the airplane. The airplane subsequently struck terrain and was consumed by fire. No anomalies were noted during the initial airframe and engine examination that would have precluded normal operation. However, examination of the main fuel control (MFC) revealed foreign object debris (FOD) from a nonmetallic material inside the MFC unit. The material was identified as a nylon 6/6 material that was consistent with other seal material in the unit. However, all similar seal material inside the MFC was at its expected location. Further, the flow path made it unlikely that any nylon 6/6 material within the MFC could have migrated from known sources during the postimpact fire to where the FOD was located. Additionally, it was unlikely the nylon material was deposited into the MFC after the accident because examination of fuel components downstream of the MFC revealed no anomalies, obstructions, or nylon material. The MFC was rebuilt about 17 years before the accident, and the airplane had flown about 425 hours since then. It is likely that the FOD was part of an extra seal that was inadvertently installed or fell into the unit at the last maintenance overhaul. Subsequently, the FOD in the MFC eventually became positioned in such a way that restricted fuel flow and caused the loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel controlling system › Damaged/degraded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,076 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 211 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 6,921 as pilot in command; 3,850 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 17, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,850.2 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 29, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 24,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney J52-P8 (turbojet); 3,212 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Draken International INC
The flight
- Departed from: LSV Las Vegas NV at 1:20 pm
- Destination: LSV Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21R, 10,120 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from LAS, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.