- Date
- January 9, 2001, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- McKinney, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N208BFNord 1101
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010109000509A
- Case key
- 50917
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 loss of engine power during takeoff resulting from the inadequate engagement of the throttle torque tube rod end into the support bushing by unknown maintenance personnel.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during the takeoff/initial climb the engine "smoothly throttled back to a low power setting although throttle lever was at full position." During the ensuing forced landing in a soft field, the airplane's fuselage sustained damage. Examination of the engine revealed that the throttle linkage assembly's push/pull rod separated from the support bushing. The FAA inspector, who examined the airplane, stated that the rod end was "inadequately" engaged in the support bushing "due to improper installation."
Factual narrative
On January 9, 2001, at 1700 central standard time, a Nord 1101, single-engine experimental airplane, N208BF, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during the takeoff/initial climb from the Aero Country Airport, near McKinney, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airline transport pilot received serious injuries and his pilot-rated passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that the airplane was at 250 feet agl when the engine "smoothly throttled back to a low power setting although throttle lever was at full position." The pilot performed the emergency procedures; however, the engine power was not restored. The airplane would not maintain altitude, and the pilot landed the airplane in a soft field southeast of the airport.
The FAA inspector, who responded to the site, found the right aileron separated at its outboard hinge. The fuselage structure was wrinkled and buckled. Examination of the engine revealed that the aft throttle linkage assembly's push/pull rod separated from the support bushing. The FAA inspector stated that the rod end was "inadequately" engaged in the support bushing "due to improper installation."
The pilot/owner reported that the airplane had accumulated 2.4 flight hours since the last annual inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N208BF
- Reported as
- Nord 1101
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 154
- Airframe hours
- 3,472.4
- Engine
- Renault 6Q10A, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard M. Barrett
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 14, 2000 · 2.4 hours before
- Departed
- T31 · McKinney, TX
- Airport
- T31 · Aero Country, runway 17, 3,000 × 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
- 67
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 30, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 33,600 total · 12 in this make and model · 30,000 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.