# Accident 20130228003979A: Piper PA-32-300, Sanford, NC, February 28, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 28, 2013, 15:56 local time
- Place: Sanford, NC
- Airport: Lee County Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.4799° N, 79.1803° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Sanford, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4799&lon=-79.1803&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1953H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1953H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 228 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130228003979A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 02-28-2013, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF PITTSBORO, NC WAS IN COMMAND OF PIPER CHEROKEE PA 32-300 REGISTRATION # N1953H, S/N 32-740044, WHICH DEPARTED  FROM SILER CITY (5W8) IN ROUTE TO SANFORD RALEIGH EXEC (TTA).

AT APPROX. 15:50 HRS. ON FINAL TO TAA THE AIRCRAFT LANDED OFF THE AIRPORT, NO INJURIES, TWO PEOPLE ON BOARD. INSPECTOR WAYNE VOHS ASSISTED INSPECTOR TIM MCQUAIN AND TRAVELED TO SANFORD (TTA) TO INVESTIGATE.

INTERVIEWED PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^  AND FBO PERSONNEL CHERI SWANSON.

PILOT REPORTED LOSS OF THROTTLE LEVER RESPONSE AND CALLED TTA UNICOM TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. PILOT FLEW BEYOND THE RUNWAY UNDER POWER LINES, STRUCK A BERM FOR A ROAD AND A FENCE POST, CAUSING LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TO DEPART THE AIRCRAFT AND MAJOR LEFT WING DAMAGE. AIRCRAFT THEN LANDED ACROSS ROAD  IN A FIELD COMING TO A REST APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS PAST ROAD, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

INSPECTORS VOHS AND MCQUAIN INSPECTED THE AIRCRAFT AND VERIFIED THAT THROTTLE LEVER MOVEMENT DID NOT CONSISTENTLY MOVE THE FUEL INJECTION SERVO LEVER VERIFYING THE STATEMENT OF THE PILOT THAT THROTTLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE.

THIS CONDITION WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER SETTING CONTROL THAT ATTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.

AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

NTSB ARRANGED FOR AIRCRAFT TO BE RELOCATED TO ATLANTA AIR SALVAGE AND REQUESTED ADDITIONAL DISASSEMBLY INTO THROTTLE PEDESTAL AREA.

FOUND CLEVIS PIN DISCONNECTED FROM THROTTLE/CABLE END.

MORE DISASSEMBLY DISCOVERED CLEVIS PIN, WASHER AND COTTER PIN FROM THROTTLE CONNECTION ON FLOOR BELOW ASSEMBLY.

COTTER PIN HAD MISSING TANG AND APPEARED TO BE IMPROPER SIZE.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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.

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