| Crash location | 35.338333°N, 79.435555°W |
| Nearest city | Carthage, NC
35.345987°N, 79.416971°W 1.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N4209F |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 20 Jun 2011 |
| Aircraft type | Dotson William P Sngl Seat Hawk Arrow |
| Additional details: | None |
According to the pilot during the turn from the base leg to the final approach the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The airplane impacted a tree causing substantial damage to the wing spars. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and noted that one spark plug was found backed out of the No. 1 cylinder and was suspended from the electrode wire. The pilot reported that he had changed the engine spark plugs the day before the accident and that he may have cross-threaded one of the spark plugs.
A partial loss of engine power due to the pilot’s improper installation of the engine’s No. 1 cylinder spark plugs.