What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 12/27/2022 at 1355 CST, a Piper PA-32RT-300, s/n 32R-7885005, was en route on a VFR flight plan from kaus (austin-bergstrom int. Airport) to kmkv (marksville municipal airport), when the aircraft experienced an unexpected reduction in engine power shortly after takeoff from aus. The pilot considered making a turn back to aus but was worried about further reduction in engine power, together with his low altitude and over a densely populated area. Since he was still making enough power to climb, he elected to keep climbing and get away from the austin area. He eventually chose to go to kcll (easterwood field airport) but was unable to make runway 11 at kcll, as the engine appeared to not be producing any power. He attempted to put the aircraft down on a highway, but elected to land in a field. He was able to clear the trees and land in the field, which was approximately 2 miles west of kcll.
The pilot stated that he had topped off by adding 60 gallons of fuel at kaus. Shortly after takeoff he noticed the engine power reduction and thought that the throttle may have worked itself toward idle, but he confirmed that it was forward and locked. He attempted to reach under the instrument panel to see if the throttle cable may have broken or slipped. At that time, aus tower directed a 30 degree turn to the left however, while troubleshooting he veered to the right by 5-10 degrees and then returned to the left as instructed. He was instructed to call aus for a possible pilot deviation. As the engine power began to decrease further, houston center gave kcll as an option for landing. He was handed off to kcll tower and was vectored to runway 17 however, he asked for and was cleared to attempt to land on runway 11. As he was aligning for final on runway 11, he realized he was not going to make the airport, as the engine was not producing any power. He does not recall if the engine was running after coming to a stop in the field. He cut the fuel, secured the aircraft and called tower to let them know he was safely on the ground.
The aircraft records indicate that the last airframe, engine & propeller inspections were completed at airframe total time: 4411.8 on 7/23/2022 (airframe & propeller) & 8/21/2022 (engine).
When the aircraft has been relocated from the field and can be inspected, and any other additional information become available, this report will be amended as necessary.
On April 14, 2023, an investigation conducted on the engine revealed that the throttle cable lever-to-fuel servo connection hardware was loose, allowing the throttle cable lever to rotate without a corresponding rotation of the fuel servo lever. The serrations on the throttle lever and on the fuel servo appear to be worn, which allowed the throttle to be moved to the full open position however, the fuel servo remained in the idle position. There was evidence of a transfer of material between the lever and fuel servo connection.
As the FAA filed it
ON 12/27/2022 AT 1355 CST, A PIPER PA-32RT-300, S/N 32R-7885005, WAS EN ROUTE ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM KAUS (AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INT. AIRPORT) TO KMKV (MARKSVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT), WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPECTED REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM AUS. THE PILOT CONSIDERED MAKING A TURN BACK TO AUS BUT WAS WORRIED ABOUT FURTHER REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER, TOGETHER WITH HIS LOW ALTITUDE AND OVER A DENSELY POPULATED AREA. SINCE HE WAS STILL MAKING ENOUGH POWER TO CLIMB, HE ELECTED TO KEEP CLIMBING AND GET AWAY FROM THE AUSTIN AREA. HE EVENTUALLY CHOSE TO GO TO KCLL (EASTERWOOD FIELD AIRPORT) BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE RUNWAY 11 AT KCLL, AS THE ENGINE APPEARED TO NOT BE PRODUCING ANY POWER. HE ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN ON A HIGHWAY, BUT ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD. HE WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE TREES AND LAND IN THE FIELD, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES WEST OF KCLL.
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD TOPPED OFF BY ADDING 60 GALLONS OF FUEL AT KAUS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF HE NOTICED THE ENGINE POWER REDUCTION AND THOUGHT THAT THE THROTTLE MAY HAVE WORKED ITSELF TOWARD IDLE, BUT HE CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS FORWARD AND LOCKED. HE ATTEMPTED TO REACH UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO SEE IF THE THROTTLE CABLE MAY HAVE BROKEN OR SLIPPED. AT THAT TIME, AUS TOWER DIRECTED A 30 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT HOWEVER, WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING HE VEERED TO THE RIGHT BY 5-10 DEGREES AND THEN RETURNED TO THE LEFT AS INSTRUCTED. HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL AUS FOR A POSSIBLE PILOT DEVIATION. AS THE ENGINE POWER BEGAN TO DECREASE FURTHER, HOUSTON CENTER GAVE KCLL AS AN OPTION FOR LANDING. HE WAS HANDED OFF TO KCLL TOWER AND WAS VECTORED TO RUNWAY 17 HOWEVER, HE ASKED FOR AND WAS CLEARED TO ATTEMPT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 11. AS HE WAS ALIGNING FOR FINAL ON RUNWAY 11, HE REALIZED HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE AIRPORT, AS THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING ANY POWER. HE DOES NOT RECALL IF THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AFTER COMING TO A STOP IN THE FIELD. HE CUT THE FUEL, SECURED THE AIRCRAFT AND CALLED TOWER TO LET THEM KNOW HE WAS SAFELY ON THE GROUND.
THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE LAST AIRFRAME, ENGINE & PROPELLER INSPECTIONS WERE COMPLETED AT AIRFRAME TOTAL TIME: 4411.8 ON 7/23/2022 (AIRFRAME & PROPELLER) & 8/21/2022 (ENGINE).
WHEN THE AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN RELOCATED FROM THE FIELD AND CAN BE INSPECTED, AND ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOME AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.
ON APRIL 14, 2023, AN INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED ON THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE LEVER-TO-FUEL SERVO CONNECTION HARDWARE WAS LOOSE, ALLOWING THE THROTTLE CABLE LEVER TO ROTATE WITHOUT A CORRESPONDING ROTATION OF THE FUEL SERVO LEVER. THE SERRATIONS ON THE THROTTLE LEVER AND ON THE FUEL SERVO APPEAR TO BE WORN, WHICH ALLOWED THE THROTTLE TO BE MOVED TO THE FULL OPEN POSITION HOWEVER, THE FUEL SERVO REMAINED IN THE IDLE POSITION. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A TRANSFER OF MATERIAL BETWEEN THE LEVER AND FUEL SERVO CONNECTION.
Other reports on N528CW · 1
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