# Incident 20251231020299I: Piper PA-28R-200, Hot Springs, AR, December 31, 2025

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 31, 2025, 12:15 local time
- Place: Hot Springs, AR
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.5037° N, 93.0552° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Hot Springs, AR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5037&lon=-93.0552&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15744, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15744) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-200
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 265 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251231020299I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON DECEMBER 31, 2025, THE PILOT OF A PA-28 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCED ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE DURING APPROACH TO HOT SPRINGS. THE PILOT REPORTED THE POWER LOSS TO ATC AND STATED THE INTENTION TO CONDUCT AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY AND WITHOUT INJURY ON A HIGHWAY ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF HOT SPRINGS.

ON JANUARY 2, 2026, FAA INSPECTORS ARRIVED ON SCENE, EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT, AND INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE MIXTURE CONTROL CABLE END FITTING HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FUEL CONTROL. THE RETAINING NUT SECURING THE CABLE END FITTING TO THE FUEL CONTROL ARM WAS MISSING, WHICH ALLOWED THE MIXTURE CONTROL TO MOVE FREELY AND PREVENTED POSITIVE CONTROL OF FUEL METERING FROM THE COCKPIT. THE LOSS OF EFFECTIVE MIXTURE CONTROL RESULTED IN ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND REDUCED POWER.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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