- Date
- April 25, 2013, 19:00 local (Apr 26, 2013, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Little Falls, MN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N94305Engineering & Research 415-C
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA - Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130425005999A
- Case key
- 86838
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 failure of the airplane's throttle cable.
Findings · 1
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
The pilot reported that he was performing takeoffs and landings when the accident occurred. He said that on one of the landings, when the airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the engine went to idle. The pilot attempted to land the airplane on the runway, but the airplane struck a fence short of the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the outer flexible sheath of the throttle cable came loose from the crimped metal sleeve, which was part of the instrument panel fitting. Movement of the cockpit throttle control would not actuate the throttle arm of the carburetor. Records indicated that the airplane was manufactured in 1946 and the throttle cable appeared to be original. No entry indicating replacement of the cable was found in the airplane's maintenance records.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was performing take-offs and landings when the accident occurred. On one of the landings, when the airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the engine went to idle. The pilot attempted to land the airplane on the runway but struck a fence short of the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the outer flexible sheath of the throttle cable had come loose from the crimped metal sleeve which was part of the instrument panel fitting. Movement of the cockpit throttle control would not actuate the throttle arm of the carburetor. Records indicated that the airplane was manufactured in 1946 and the throttle cable appeared to be original. No entry indicating replacement of the cable was found in the airplane's maintenance records.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94305
- Reported as
- Engineering & Research 415-C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1528
- Airframe hours
- 1,300
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85-12-F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 24, 2012
- Departed
- LXL · Little Falls, MN
- Destination
- LXL · Little Falls, MN
- Airport
- LXL · Little Falls/Morrison County, runway 13, 4,010 × 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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 5 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- LXL
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 MB 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.