What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 2/17/2022 at 1401 CST, a Pitts model S-1T, s/n 1061, N731FL, departed runway 35R at david wayne hooks airport (kdwh), when the aircraft encountered an engine controllability issue. The aircraft attempted to return to dwh and land on runway 35L. During the landing attempt, the aircraft struck the airport localizer antenna and came to rest inverted approximately 150 yards from the end of the runway. The aircraft was being operated as a 14 CFR part 91 flight. The aircraft received substantial damage to the main landing gear, both wing assembly?s, and the lower section of the fuselage, just aft of the engine firewall.
The pilot stated that after takeoff he attempted to adjust the engine manifold pressure using the throttle, but that the engine did not respond to the throttle inputs, even though the engine was otherwise working normally. Realizing he had an engine issue, he contacted the tower and stated that he was returning to the airport; he was given instructions to enter the left downwind to runway 35L, but did not declare an emergency. He turned left base and directly to the numbers with considerable altitude in relation to the runway, at which time he turned off the ignition key. On final, his ground speed reduced significantly due to a strong headwind, at which time it became clear he was not going to reach the runway and ended up making contact with the localizer. Winds recorded at 1353 were reported at 310, 8KTS gusting to 15KTS.
The aircraft records indicate that the last airframe annual inspection, and engine and propeller inspections were completed at airframe total time: 930.5 on April 28, 2021. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated approximately 70 hours since the annual inspections. During the annual inspection, the engine fuel nozzles, fuel injector and flow divider were removed for cleaning/flow testing/overhaul. The original lines/nozzles and fuel injector were reinstalled, the flow divider was replaced with an overhauled unit. Additionally, the pilot holds an A&P certificate and performed the engine fuel system maintenance during the annual inspection. Subsequent inspection shows that the throttle cable was not connected to the throttle lever arm on the fuel servo/injector.
When the NTSB report and any other additional information become available, this report will be amended as necessary.
As the FAA filed it
ON 2/17/2022 AT 1401 CST, A PITTS MODEL S-1T, S/N 1061, N731FL, DEPARTED RUNWAY 35R AT DAVID WAYNE HOOKS AIRPORT (KDWH), WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED AN ENGINE CONTROLLABILITY ISSUE. THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO DWH AND LAND ON RUNWAY 35L. DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE AIRPORT LOCALIZER ANTENNA AND CAME TO REST INVERTED APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, BOTH WING ASSEMBLY?S, AND THE LOWER SECTION OF THE FUSELAGE, JUST AFT OF THE ENGINE FIREWALL.
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF HE ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE ENGINE MANIFOLD PRESSURE USING THE THROTTLE, BUT THAT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND TO THE THROTTLE INPUTS, EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS OTHERWISE WORKING NORMALLY. REALIZING HE HAD AN ENGINE ISSUE, HE CONTACTED THE TOWER AND STATED THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT; HE WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO ENTER THE LEFT DOWNWIND TO RUNWAY 35L, BUT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. HE TURNED LEFT BASE AND DIRECTLY TO THE NUMBERS WITH CONSIDERABLE ALTITUDE IN RELATION TO THE RUNWAY, AT WHICH TIME HE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION KEY. ON FINAL, HIS GROUND SPEED REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY DUE TO A STRONG HEADWIND, AT WHICH TIME IT BECAME CLEAR HE WAS NOT GOING TO REACH THE RUNWAY AND ENDED UP MAKING CONTACT WITH THE LOCALIZER. WINDS RECORDED AT 1353 WERE REPORTED AT 310, 8KTS GUSTING TO 15KTS.
THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST AIRFRAME ANNUAL INSPECTION, AND ENGINE AND PROPELLER INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED AT AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME: 930.5 ON APRIL 28, 2021. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 70 HOURS SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTIONS. DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION, THE ENGINE FUEL NOZZLES, FUEL INJECTOR AND FLOW DIVIDER WERE REMOVED FOR CLEANING/FLOW TESTING/OVERHAUL. THE ORIGINAL LINES/NOZZLES AND FUEL INJECTOR WERE REINSTALLED, THE FLOW DIVIDER WAS REPLACED WITH AN OVERHAULED UNIT. ADDITIONALLY, THE PILOT HOLDS AN A&P CERTIFICATE AND PERFORMED THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION SHOWS THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE THROTTLE LEVER ARM ON THE FUEL SERVO/INJECTOR.
WHEN THE NTSB REPORT AND ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOME AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.