What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 21, 2012, about 0930 MDT, N866P, Beech 35-C33, lost engine power while the pilot was attempting to lean the engine mixture for cruise flight. Pilot stated that he did not get the usual and expected results when he pulled or pushed the mixture control knob in and out. The engine lost enough power to no longer sustain flight and the pilot made a forced landing gear up on a dirt road resulting in substantial damage to the underside of the aircraft. The pilot/owner and one passenger were uninjured. The plane was relocated intact to St. George the same day. Inspectors rucker and hutton conducted a preliminary investigation on March 27, 2012 at St. George in order to obtain the information for FAA form 8020-23. On April 3, 2012, inspector rucker joined wayne pollack from NTSB and andrew swick from Continental motors inc. to conduct a more in depth investigation. Our findings focused on the fuel mixture control unit. We observed that the lever attached to the mixture valve shaft was rotating independently from the valve shaft. This disconnect would render the mixture uncontrollable and lead to loss of engine power. Photos and inspector statement bears more details.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 21, 2012, ABOUT 0930 MDT, N866P, BEECH 35-C33, LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LEAN THE ENGINE MIXTURE FOR CRUISE FLIGHT. PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT GET THE USUAL AND EXPECTED RESULTS WHEN HE PULLED OR PUSHED THE MIXTURE CONTROL KNOB IN AND OUT. THE ENGINE LOST ENOUGH POWER TO NO LONGER SUSTAIN FLIGHT AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING GEAR UP ON A DIRT ROAD RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT/OWNER AND ONE PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. THE PLANE WAS RELOCATED INTACT TO ST. GEORGE THE SAME DAY. INSPECTORS RUCKER AND HUTTON CONDUCTED A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ON MARCH 27, 2012 AT ST. GEORGE IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE INFORMATION FOR FAA FORM 8020-23. ON APRIL 3, 2012, INSPECTOR RUCKER JOINED WAYNE POLLACK FROM NTSB AND ANDREW SWICK FROM CONTINENTAL MOTORS INC. TO CONDUCT A MORE IN DEPTH INVESTIGATION. OUR FINDINGS FOCUSED ON THE FUEL MIXTURE CONTROL UNIT. WE OBSERVED THAT THE LEVER ATTACHED TO THE MIXTURE VALVE SHAFT WAS ROTATING INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE VALVE SHAFT. THIS DISCONNECT WOULD RENDER THE MIXTURE UNCONTROLLABLE AND LEAD TO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. PHOTOS AND INSPECTOR STATEMENT BEARS MORE DETAILS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.