- Date
- October 13, 2010, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fredericksburg, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N86TJConrad Theodore J Thorp T-18
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20101013054439A
- Case key
- 77633
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The malfunction of the throttle clamp, which resulted in the pilot's inability to control the engine's power setting.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he reduced engine power to slow the airplane for landing while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. He then attempted to increase power and the engine did not respond. The pilot maneuvered the airplane immediately toward the runway and it floated during the landing. When the airplane touched down, there was insufficient distance remaining to stop on the runway. The airplane departed the end of the runway and the pilot intentionally ground-looped the airplane to stay on the airport property, causing substantial damage to both wings. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the clamp securing the throttle controller end was allowing the cable to slip freely.
Factual narrative
While flying the downwind leg for a full-stop landing, the pilot reduced engine power to slow the airplane for landing. When the pilot advanced the throttle, the engine did not respond. The pilot turned the airplane immediately for the runway. Due to the "tighter" pattern and increased airspeed, the airplane floated during the landing. When the airplane touched down on the runway, there was insufficient distance remaining for the airplane to stop on the runway. The airplane departed the end of the runway and the pilot ground looped the airplane to stay on the airport property. Substantial damage was sustained to both wings. An examination of the engine revealed that the clamp securing the throttle controller end was allowing the cable to slip freely.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N86TJ
- Reported as
- Conrad Theodore J Thorp T-18
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- C-4602
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- TS65 · San Angelo, TX
- Destination
- T82 · Fredericksburg, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- T82 · Gillespie County, runway 32, 5,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 15, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,450 total · 549 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- T82
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 521 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.