- Date
- April 13, 2011, 20:20 local (Apr 14, 2011, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- Latrobe, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5325LPiper PA-28-180
- Defining event
- Approach-IFR initial approach: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110413012119A
- Case key
- 78864
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
Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the throttle cable to the fuel servo.
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
While flying an instrument landing system approach with his flight instructor, the pilot said he added power to stay on the glide slope but the engine remained at 1,600 rpm. He declared an emergency with the tower air traffic controller, and looked for a suitable forced landing area. During the forced landing on a hill, the wings and landing gear received substantial damage. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the throttle cable separated from the arm of the fuel servo. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the airplane had undergone an engine change 32 hours prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot stated that he was practicing an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach with his flight instructor/passenger. While on the glideslope, he attempted to add power, but noted no response from the engine. The engine revolutions per minute (rpm) remained at 1600. The pilot declared an emergency with the air traffic control tower, and began looking for an alternate off field landing site. Once located, he landed on a hill, substantially damaging the wings and landing gear. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the throttle cable had come loose from the arm on the fuel servo. A review of the airplane's maintenance records found that the airplane had undergone an engine change 32 hours prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5325L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-4628
- Airframe hours
- 7,745
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 4, 2011 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- LBE · Latrobe, PA
- Destination
- LBE · Latrobe, PA
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
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 12, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 340 total · 1 in this make and model · 187 as pilot in command · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- LBE, 3 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 28, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 311 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.
Other investigations on N5325L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.