What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot reported that after a four-month hiatus from flying and the recent installation of a new throttle and fuel injection system, he took off and attempted to land on runway 18 at Brady-Pippin Airport (SN20) in Augusta, Kansas. During touchdown, he inadvertently applied power, causing the aircraft to deviate from the alignment of the 2,000-BY-80-foot turf runway. Unable to correct in time, the aircraft subsequently impacted a fence.
The collision resulted in extensive damage to the aircraft, including significant damage to both wings, the rudder, and most notably, the fuselage between the flight deck and the empennage. The pilot, the only occupant of the aircraft, was not injured. The pilot stated that difficulty adjusting the throttle at low power settings contributed to the unintentional power application.
An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the throttle installation and noted that while the throttle was “a little sticky,” this would not have been a determining factor in the loss of control. The pilot acknowledged feeling uncomfortable with the new system but confirmed that maintaining control of the aircraft was possible. He reported no other mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded the normal operation of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER A FOUR-MONTH HIATUS FROM FLYING AND THE RECENT INSTALLATION OF A NEW THROTTLE AND FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, HE TOOK OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 18 AT BRADY-PIPPIN AIRPORT (SN20) IN AUGUSTA, KANSAS. DURING TOUCHDOWN, HE INADVERTENTLY APPLIED POWER, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DEVIATE FROM THE ALIGNMENT OF THE 2,000-BY-80-FOOT TURF RUNWAY. UNABLE TO CORRECT IN TIME, THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED A FENCE.
THE COLLISION RESULTED IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, THE RUDDER, AND MOST NOTABLY, THE FUSELAGE BETWEEN THE FLIGHT DECK AND THE EMPENNAGE. THE PILOT, THE ONLY OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE PILOT STATED THAT DIFFICULTY ADJUSTING THE THROTTLE AT LOW POWER SETTINGS CONTRIBUTED TO THE UNINTENTIONAL POWER APPLICATION.
AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE THROTTLE INSTALLATION AND NOTED THAT WHILE THE THROTTLE WAS “A LITTLE STICKY,” THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A DETERMINING FACTOR IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM BUT CONFIRMED THAT MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS POSSIBLE. HE REPORTED NO OTHER MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.