# NTSB ERA26LA151: Piper PA-32-260, N7081H, Block Island, RI, March 25, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 25, 2026, 16:51 local (20:51 UTC) - Place: Block Island, RI · off airfield - Coordinates: 41.164735, -71.589687 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.1647&lon=-71.5897&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report June 22, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202712 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA151 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202712/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202712 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA151 ## Probable cause Maintenance personnel’s failure to ensure that the throttle cable was properly secured to the carburetor, which resulted an inflight separation of the throttle cable and the pilots’ inability to control the engine. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-260, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=7103206), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md) - [Engine fuel and control: fuel control/carburetor](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-260, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322/cases.md?model=7103206), [All aircraft, 195 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057322/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-260, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=7103206), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-260, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7103206), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilots reported that they were unable to change engine power via the throttle while attempting to land, which resulted in an off-airport landing. During the landing the airplane’s left wing was substantially damaged. One of the pilots described that this was the second flight of the airplane after it had undergone extensive maintenance, which included installing a newly overhauled engine and an annual inspection. Postaccident examination of the engine found the hardware used to connect the throttle cable to the carburetor was missing. A review of maintenance records revealed that the throttle control was rigged during the annual inspection. The mechanic who signed off the annual inspection said that he and several other mechanics had conducted extensive maintenance on the airplane, and they had most likely forgotten to install the cotter pin that would have secured the throttle cable to the carburetor. Given this information, it is likely that the throttle cable detached from the carburetor during the flight, which resulted in the the pilots being unable to control engine power, and the subsequent off airport landing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7081H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7081H), registered now, S/N 32-7100028, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-260 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (registry code 7103206) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-540-E4B5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-e4b5) (registry code 42342, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-7100028 - Year built: 1971 - Airframe hours: 1340.3 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-E4B5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 17, 2026, 3 hours before - Departed: CQX, Chatham, MA - Destination: BID, Block Island, RI - Airport: BID, Block Island State - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 10, 2026; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,820 total, 73 in this make and model, 2,654 as pilot in command, 156 in the last 90 days, 47 in the last 30 days - Pilot; age 26; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 30, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 215 total, 113 in this make and model, 131 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.33 inHg - Observed at: KBID, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KBID 251956Z AUTO 20010KT 10SM CLR 06/M01 A3033 RMK AO2 SLP272 T00561011 PNO $ ## 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 20260325005629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260325005629A), Mar 25, 2026: Piper PA-32-260, Block Island, RI, Substantial damage. On March 25, 2026, an aircraft accident involving a [privacy data omitted] with two pilots occurred. The aircraft departed from chatham municipal airport (cqx)… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 22, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202712. 10.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 6.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20348440&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Final_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 383 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20184313&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photos-Rel.pdf - Written statement - FAA inspector (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 177 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20348128&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Maintenance%20Inspector%20-%20Written%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB mor - mechanic final (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 102 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20348906&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20MOR%20-%20Mechanic_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Written statement - mechanic (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20348673&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Written%20Statement%20-%20Mechanic_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Engine maintenance records - last annual (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20184323&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Engine%20Maintenance%20Log%20-%20Last%20Annual%20Engine_Redacted-Rel.pdf 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.