20170705009969A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Milroy, IN · July 5, 2017

Date: July 5, 2017 · 13:55 local
Place: Milroy, IN
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N112DE
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN17LA271
Reported as: Piper PA-32-300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,178 total619 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N112DERegistration cancelled Mar 15, 2018 · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-7940044 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-300 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On July 5, 2017 at approximately 1400 eastern standard time, 1.8 miles north of Milroy, IN, a 1979 PA32-300 with 3 souls on board landed in a wheat field. The aircraft was registered to four aces escadrille LLC and operated under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a pleasure flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was filed. No injuries were reported to pilot and two passengers. The aircraft was at 4500 feet descending to 3200'MSL when the pilot stated the engine would not respond to throttle inputs. With throttle control minimized and pilot unable to maintain altitude or reach the nearest airport, the pilot chose to land the aircraft in a field. The nose landing gear collapsed upon crossing a small ditch and came to stop after rolling approximately 600 feet. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose landing gear, the lower forword fuselage skin and firewall assembly.

As the FAA filed it

ON JULY 5, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, 1.8 MILES NORTH OF MILROY, IN, A 1979 PA32-300 WITH 3 SOULS ON BOARD LANDED IN A WHEAT FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REGISTERED TO FOUR ACES ESCADRILLE LLC AND OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PLEASURE FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED TO PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT 4500 FEET DESCENDING TO 3200'MSL WHEN THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUTS. WITH THROTTLE CONTROL MINIMIZED AND PILOT UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE OR REACH THE NEAREST AIRPORT, THE PILOT CHOSE TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN A FIELD. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UPON CROSSING A SMALL DITCH AND CAME TO STOP AFTER ROLLING APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE NOSE LANDING GEAR, THE LOWER FORWORD FUSELAGE SKIN AND FIREWALL ASSEMBLY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN17LA271Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRushville, INThe pilot’s inability to properly control engine power because of an improperly installed throttle control arm, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and led to a forced landing.Jul 5, 2017 · Substantial damage