What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated that during approach to Elma airport, the aircraft engine lost power, and could not be restarted. He further stated he changed fuel tanks, rocked wings, and reset the mixture control in conjunction with the attempt to restart the engine. Inspection of the aircraft found the engine had compression, spark and fuel flow from the main fuel tanks to the carburetor. Only abnormality found was the improper installation of the mixture control on the carburetor. The attaching hardware of the control cable was found unsecured and loose, allowing movement of the mixture control without actuation of the control cable. The mixture control cable did function properly from the cockpit with the loose hardware at the time of the inspection. Reviewed the proper use of carburetor heat with owner, along with discussing design aspects of the installed experimental fuel system.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED THAT DURING APPROACH TO ELMA AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER, AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. HE FURTHER STATED HE CHANGED FUEL TANKS, ROCKED WINGS, AND RESET THE MIXTURE CONTROL IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND THE ENGINE HAD COMPRESSION, SPARK AND FUEL FLOW FROM THE MAIN FUEL TANKS TO THE CARBURETOR. ONLY ABNORMALITY FOUND WAS THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL ON THE CARBURETOR. THE ATTACHING HARDWARE OF THE CONTROL CABLE WAS FOUND UNSECURED AND LOOSE, ALLOWING MOVEMENT OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL WITHOUT ACTUATION OF THE CONTROL CABLE. THE MIXTURE CONTROL CABLE DID FUNCTION PROPERLY FROM THE COCKPIT WITH THE LOOSE HARDWARE AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION. REVIEWED THE PROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT WITH OWNER, ALONG WITH DISCUSSING DESIGN ASPECTS OF THE INSTALLED EXPERIMENTAL FUEL SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.