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20230704012019A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Grumman American Avn. AA-5A · Huntsville, AL · July 4, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 4, 2023 · 14:15 local
Place
Huntsville, AL
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N26387
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA23LA286
Reported as
Grumman American Avn. AA-5A
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
100 total
N26387Registered now · Grumman American Avn. AA-5AS/N AA5A0555 · Built 1978Airframe modelGrumman American Avn. AA-5AEngine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

Pilot and passenger departed Huntsville intl. Airport (khsv) towards guntersville, AL airport (8A1). When adjusting the power settings, the engine went to idle and did not respond to throttle cable inputs. An emergency was then declared, and an attempt was made for redstone arsenal (us army) airfield (nearest airfield). When unable to make it to runway, pilot selected a nearby field with a paved road for landing. (Part of redstone arsenal, designated training area #1). After controlled landing on the road, maximum braking was applied but aircraft struck a gate post at low speed which stopped the airplane.

Pilot and passenger were uninjured. Aircraft sustained substantial damage to l/h wing leading edge skin and minor damage to propeller.

Investigation revealed throttle cable retention clamp forward of fuel injector servo had become loose and was missing, allowing entire cable assembly to shift fore and aft, rendering throttle control ineffective. Throttle cable had been replaced with new unit at annual inspection approx. 15 flt hrs & 8 months prior.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED HUNTSVILLE INTL. AIRPORT (KHSV) TOWARDS GUNTERSVILLE, AL AIRPORT (8A1). WHEN ADJUSTING THE POWER SETTINGS, THE ENGINE WENT TO IDLE AND DID NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE CABLE INPUTS. AN EMERGENCY WAS THEN DECLARED, AND AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE FOR REDSTONE ARSENAL (US ARMY) AIRFIELD (NEAREST AIRFIELD). WHEN UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO RUNWAY, PILOT SELECTED A NEARBY FIELD WITH A PAVED ROAD FOR LANDING. (PART OF REDSTONE ARSENAL, DESIGNATED TRAINING AREA #1). AFTER CONTROLLED LANDING ON THE ROAD, MAXIMUM BRAKING WAS APPLIED BUT AIRCRAFT STRUCK A GATE POST AT LOW SPEED WHICH STOPPED THE AIRPLANE.

PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO L/H WING LEADING EDGE SKIN AND MINOR DAMAGE TO PROPELLER.

INVESTIGATION REVEALED THROTTLE CABLE RETENTION CLAMP FORWARD OF FUEL INJECTOR SERVO HAD BECOME LOOSE AND WAS MISSING, ALLOWING ENTIRE CABLE ASSEMBLY TO SHIFT FORE AND AFT, RENDERING THROTTLE CONTROL INEFFECTIVE. THROTTLE CABLE HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH NEW UNIT AT ANNUAL INSPECTION APPROX. 15 FLT HRS & 8 MONTHS PRIOR.

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 ERA23LA286Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRedstone Arsenal, ALThe separation of the clamp assembly securing the throttle control cable outer housing, which resulted in the pilot’s inability to control the throttle.Jul 4, 2023 · Substantial damage