# NTSB ATL04LA044: Cessna 182-K, N3056Q, Birmingham, AL, December 3, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 2, 2003, 19:50 local (Dec 3, 2003, 01:50 UTC) - Place: Birmingham, AL - Coordinates: 33.552223, -86.755836 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5522&lon=-86.7558&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 3 minor - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Birmingham FSDO - ADs cited in the narratives: [AD 86-24-07](https://openairdocs.org/ad/86-24-07) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 58424 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58424/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA044 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to the throttle/power lever cable becoming disconnected in-flight, as a result of maintenance personnel failure to comply with Airworthiness Directive (AD) 86-24-07 and Cessna information letter SE79-6. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - maintenance,compliance with ad - not complied with, other maintenance personnel (cause) - throttle/power lever,cable - disconnected (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - tree(s) - object - wire,transmission ## Analysis The flight was uneventful until the approach to land at the destination airport. When the pilot reduced engine power for the approach, the engine lost power and the throttle would not respond. The pilot informed the control tower that he had a loss of power and proceeded to set up for an emergency landing. The airplane clipped a tree top and went through a power line before touching down on the ground. The airplane landed hard, the nose gear collapsed, and the left wing collided with a light pole. Examination of the airplane found the left and right wings had spar and wing skin damage. Examination of the engine found the throttle cable separated from the throttle body arm. The throttle cable attaching bolt was still attached to the throttle body arm, the nut was missing and the bolt was not drilled for a cotter key. Further review disclosed that Airworthiness Directive 86-24-07 and Cessna Information Letter SE79-6 had not been complied with when the engine assembly was recently installed during the annual inspection. ## Factual narrative On December 2, 2003, at 1950 central standard time, a Cessna 182-K, N3056Q, registered to Cowarts Construction Company, and operated by the private pilot, collided with a power line and subsequently the ground while on approach to Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham, Alabama. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, and instrument flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. The pilot and two passengers received minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Salem Airport, Salem, Arkansas, on December 2, 2003, at 1700. The pilot stated that the flight was uneventful until the approach to land in Birmingham. The pilot pulled the manifold pressure to 12.5 inches to descend and added power to align with the glide slope, but the engine did not respond. He then added full power, but still nothing happened. The pilot informed the control tower that he had a loss of power and proceeded to set up for an emergency landing. He stated the airplane clipped a tree top and went through a power line before touching down on the ground. The pilot stated the airplane "landed hard," the nose gear collapsed, and the left wing collided with a light pole. Examination of the airplane found the left and right wings had spar and wing skin damage, the right stabilizer and the bottom of the airframe sustained crush damage. The nose gear was folded aft. Examination of the engine found the throttle cable separated from the throttle body arm. The throttle cable attaching bolt was still attached to the throttle body arm, the nut was missing and the bolt was not drilled for a cotter key. Additionally, the examination of the throttle cable assembly revealed that Airworthiness Directive 86-24-07 and Cessna Information Letter SE79-6 had not been complied with when the engine assembly was recently installed during the annual inspection. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3056Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3056Q-2010-08-09), registration cancelled 2010-08-09, S/N 18258056, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182-K - Registry model: [Cessna 182K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182k) (registry code 2072724) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18258056 - Airframe hours: 4264.8 - Engines: Continental IO470-F31B 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: James R. Cowart, doing business as Cowarts Construction Company - Registered owner: Cowarts Construction Co. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 1, 2003, 31.2 hours before - Departed: 7M9, Salem, AK - Destination: BHM, Birmingham, AL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: BHM, Birmingham International, runway 36, 7,100 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 8, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 2,008 total, 1,297 in this make and model, 1,891 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: variable at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.37 inHg - Observed at: BHM, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031202029159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031202029159A), Dec 2, 2003: Cessna 182K, Birmingham, AL, Substantial damage. (-23) On 12/02/2003, at approximately 17:50 CST, when conducting the ILS approach to runway 6 at Birmingham, AL, N3056Q experienced complete power loss due to… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.