# NTSB ATL97LA069: Beech 33, N5863S, Carrollton, GA, April 29, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 29, 1997, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Carrollton, GA - Coordinates: 33.57991, -85.069465 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5799&lon=-85.0695&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 7, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3845 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL97LA069 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3845/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA069 ## Probable cause The inadequate maintenance inspection of the airplane that resulted in the disconnection of the propeller governor linkage and the subsequent reduction in engine power. The pilot also failed to maintain flying speed that resulted in an inadvertent stall during the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - normal - propeller governor control,linkage - disconnected (cause) - maintenance,annual inspection - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (cause) - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Loss of control - in flight, emergency descent/landing - airspeed(vs) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The instrument flight was cleared to a cruise altitude of 6000 feet. A few minutes into the flight, the pilot experienced a reduction in engine power. He declared an emergency and attempted to restore the engine to full operating power. The pilot said he increased the fuel mixture lever to full rich, turned on the fuel system boost pump, but could not restore full engine power. After completing the emergency procedures, the pilot was instructed, by air traffic control, to turn to a 125 degree magnetic heading for vectors to the nearest airport. After descending below the clouds, the pilot established a final approach for the emergency landing. As he flared for the touchdown on the runway, the pilot recalled that the aircraft stall warning horn was blaring. The pilot also stated that the flight controls were barely responsive as the left wing collided with the ground. The examination of the engine assembly disclosed that the propeller pitch control arm, at the propeller governor, had separated from the propeller governor. A review of service data disclosed that a service bulletin had been issued to prevent the separation of the governor control arm from the assembly. This service bulletin had not been accomplished on the accident airplane. The governor control arm separation occurred four flight hours after the last annual inspection. ## Factual narrative On April 29, 1997, at 1130 eastern daylight time, a Beech 33, N5863S, collided with the ground while attempting an emergency landing at the West Georgia Regional Airport in Carrollton, Georgia. The personal flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight plan on file. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage; the pilot and passenger were not injured. The instrument flight departed Atlanta, Georgia, at 1045. According to the pilot, the instrument departure clearance cleared the flight to a cruise altitude of 6000 feet. The pilot reported that a few minutes into the flight he experienced a reduction in engine power. The pilot declared an emergency and attempted to restore the engine to full operating power. The pilot said he increased the fuel mixture lever to full rich, turned on the fuel system boost pump, but could not restore full engine power. After completing the emergency procedures, the pilot was instructed by the air traffic controller to turn to a 125 degree magnetic heading for the West Georgia Airport in Carrollton. The pilot elected to attempt an emergency landing at the West Georgia Regional Airport; the airport was thirteen miles south east of where he declared the emergency. The pilot reported that visibility was good as he descended below the last cloud layer, and he established visual contact with West Georgia Airport. The pilot established a final approach for runway 16. As the pilot flared for the touchdown on runway 16, the pilot recalled that the aircraft stall warning horn was blaring. The pilot also stated that the flight controls were barely responsive as the left wing collided with the ground. The examination of the engine assembly disclosed that the propeller pitch control arm, at the propeller governor, had separated from the propeller governor. A review of aircraft maintenance service data disclosed that a service bulletin had been issued in 1984 to prevent the pitch arm separation from the governor assembly. During a subsequent telephone conversation with the pilot, he stated that he was present when the mechanic accomplished the annual inspection. He recalled that the mechanic did inspect the propeller assembly, and there were no obvious problems noted. According to the pilot/owner, this service bulletin had not been accomplished on the accident airplane. The arm separation occurred approximately four flight hours after that annual inspection. No Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive had been issued to prevent this type of failure. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5863S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5863S), registered now, S/N CD-830, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech 33 - Registry model: [Beech 35-C33](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35-c33) (registry code 1151408) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CD830 - Airframe hours: 3655 - Engines: Continental IO-520-8A8 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert E. Nickels - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 5, 1997, 4 hours before - Departed: KFTY, ATLANTA, GA - Destination: KDTS, DESTIN, FL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: CTJ, West Georgia Regional, runway 16, 5,001 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 847 total, 453 in this make and model, 847 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,200 ft overcast - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 54 °F - Observed at: ATL, 30 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 19970429006969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970429006969A), Apr 29, 1997: Beech 35C33, Carrollton, GA, Substantial damage. Lost partial powr. Stall landed ctj. Prop pitch control arm seperated. Recent annual. Service bulletin not done. (-23) pilot lost control of propeller pitch… ## Other investigations on N5863S (1) 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. - [NTSB FTW66D0355](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW66D0355), Oct 18, 1965: Beechcraft 35-C33 (N5863S), Lubbock, TX, substantial damage 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.