- Date
- May 2, 2008, 16:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place
- San Marcos, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1255RBellanca 14-13-3A
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- San Antonio, TX
- FAA report
- 20080502834189A
- Case key
- 68059
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 throttle cable clevis swage. Contributing to the accident was the uneven terrain available for landing.
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 was within 5 miles of his destination airport at the termination of a short cross country flight at 2000 feet above ground level. When the pilot reduced throttle to begin his descent the engine went to idle and throttle control was no longer available. The pilot decided to attempt to make his destination airport but landed in an open field short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing main spar. The pilot received no injuries. Upon investigation of the engine it was discovered that the throttle cable clevis swag failed at the cable housing and throttle control was no longer available.
Factual narrative
The pilot was within 5 miles of his destination airport at the termination of a short cross country flight at 2,000 feet above ground level. When the pilot reduced the throttle to begin his descent, the engine went to idle and throttle control was no longer available. The pilot decided to attempt to make his destination airport but landed in an open field short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing main spar. The pilot received no injuries. Upon investigation of the engine, it was discovered that the throttle cable clevis swage failed at the cable housing and throttle control was no longer available.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1255R
- Reported as
- Bellanca 14-13-3A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4319
- Airframe hours
- 2,783
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-F, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2008
- Departed
- 3T2 · Manvel, TX
- Destination
- KHYI · San Marcos, TX
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 16,000 total · 36 in this make and model · 9,000 as pilot in command · 240 in the last 90 days · 85 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- KHYI, 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.