# Accident 20110106002789A: Piper PA-22-150, Thomaston, GA, January 6, 2011 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 6, 2011, 14:30 local time - Place: Thomaston, GA - Airport: Thomaston- Upson County - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.9589° N, 84.2817° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9589&lon=-84.2817&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5706D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5706D) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-22-150 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total, 30 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11CA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA108) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110106002789A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON JANUARY 06, 2011 AT 1530 LOCAL I WAS NOTIFIED BY THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER THAT A PIPER PA 22 LOST POWER WHILE DEPARTING RUNWAY 30 AT THOMASTON, GA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT IN COMMANDS STATEMENT, THE PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH WHILE CHECKING OUT THE AIRCRAFTS NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM, AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND DROPPED TO 1800 RPM, WITH THE THROTTLE ACTING LIKE IT WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE CARBURETOR. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ELECTED TO FLY AHEAD AND MANEUVER INTO A FIELD (N 32 DEGREES 57.327 W 084 DEGREES 16.543 ELEVATION 765') DUE TO THE INABILITY TO REDUCE POWER THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE FIELD AROUND 75 KNOTS AND WAS MANEUVERED IN SUCH A MANOR TO TRY TO AVOID MULTIPLE HAY BALES. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK ONE BALE AND THE TAIL SECTION WAS DAMAGED SEVERELY. INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE ARRIVED AT 0930 AM ON JANUARY 07, 2011 AND WAS MET BY THE PIC,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND THE PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT THE MAINTENANCE HANGAR OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO THE AIRCRAFT LOCATED IN THE FIELD JUST OFF OF BETHANY CHURCH ROAD. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS RESTING IN A HAY FIELD AT AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 040. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RESTING ON ITS LANDING GEAR. THE PROPELLER WAS IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION WITH NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE. THE LEFT WING HAD NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE AND THE LEFT GEAR REAR BRACE HAD INDICATION OF DISTORTION. THE TAIL ASSEMBLY JUST AHEAD OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE STRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL STABILIZERS INCLUDING THE ASSOCIATED FLIGHT CONTROLS. WHEN VIEWING FORWARD FROM THE TAIL, THE TAIL SECTION WAS ROTATED LEFT APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES. THE FLIGHT CONTROL INTEGRITY WAS VERIFIED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ADEQUATE FUEL AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS OBSERVED IN THE RIGHT POSITION. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE RIGHT WING AND GEAR HAD NO DAMAGE NOTED.THE TACHOMETER INDICATED 3147.2 HOURS. THE NTSB IIC, BUTCH WILSON WAS CONTACTED AND UPDATED. A PHONE INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED WITH THE PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BY THE NTSB. THE MECHANIC/ REBUILDER OF THE AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRCRAFT AT OUR REQUEST WHICH WAS AUTHORIZED BY THE NTSB. THE AIRCRAFT BATTERY WAS LOW AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE BATTERY WAS CHARGED FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AND STILL WAS NOT ENOUGH TO START. DUE TO THE REMOTE LOCATION FURTHER START ATTEMPTS WAS NOT ATTEMPTED DUE TO RISK OF FIRE. THE COWLING WAS REMOVED AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS INSPECTED. OIL QUANTITY WAS NORMAL AND FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE LINES TO THE CARBURETOR. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE POWER LOSS THE CARBURETOR WAS THE PRIMARY FOCUS. THE THROTTLE WAS MOVED AND THE CORRESPONDING THROTTLE ARM MOVED AS WELL. THE NUT RETAINING THE THROTTLE WAS FINGER TIGHT AND NO COTTER KEY WAS INSTALLED. THE SERRATIONS TO THE ARM WERE RIDING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND THE ARM WAS LOOSE. THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED BY THE MECHANIC FOR CLOSER EXAMINATION. FUEL WAS NOTED IN THE CARBURETOR AND THE THROTTLE SHAFT AND BUTTERFLY INTEGRITY WAS VERIFIED. THE CARBURETOR, A MARVEL SCHEBLER MA-4SPA WAS RECENTLY OVERHAULED BY PRECISION AIRMOTIVE AND INSTALLED AT 3146.4 HOURS TACH TIME. THE CARBURETOR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS .8 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL. THE CARBURETOR PN 10-5217, SERIAL NUMBER MF V 92 WAS RETAINED IN THE CUSTODY OF THE MECHANIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE NTSB. THE INTERVIEW WITH THE PILOT IN COMMAND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REVEALED THE FOLLOWING:-^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOLDS AN FAA COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 30 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRCRAFT AND 25000 HOURS TOTAL TIME. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOLDS A VALID SECOND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE THAT WAS ISSUED ON 09/20/2010.-^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAS LOGGED 15 IN THE LAST 90 DAYS. -AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WEATHER WAS VMC, RWY 30 THOMASTON (OPN) IN USE.-ACCORDING TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HE EXECUTED A MISSED ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA11CA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA108), Jan 6, 2011: Piper PA-22-150 (N5706D), Thomaston, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The mechanic's failure to install a cotter retaining pin in the throttle arm retaining nut resulting in excessive throttle play and loss of engine power control. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.