On December 21, 1985, a Cessna 140 (registration N3587V) was involved in an aviation accident near Coy, AR. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot of N3587V reported engine roughness during takeoff after an extended idle period. The aircraft aborted, veered into soft terrain, and nosed over. Inspection found carbon-fouled spark plugs and a bent electrode.
Incident Overview
The pilot of aircraft N3587V reported that the engine was operated at idle for an extended period prior to the attempted takeoff. After several minutes of idling, the engine stopped. The pilot then restarted the engine and commenced the takeoff immediately. During the takeoff roll, the pilot noted that the engine was running roughly but continued the roll. The aircraft accelerated to near takeoff speed, but when the pilot attempted lift-off, the aircraft did not fly. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff. During the abort, the aircraft entered soft terrain beside the runway and nosed over.
Post-Incident Examination
An examination of the engine revealed that all spark plugs had carbon deposits. Additionally, the top spark plug on one cylinder had a bent ground electrode that was contacting the center electrode.
Fuel and Modification Status
The aircraft was operating on auto fuel at the time of the incident. However, the aircraft had not been modified for the use of auto fuel.