- Date
- July 27, 1993, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Vidor, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4134XAero Commander 100
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930727030849A
- Case key
- 18799
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
Control cable separation due to the throttle power lever linkage not being secured by retainer resultant from improper installation. A factor was a lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
During the forced landing in a field, following a total loss of engine power, the airplane hit a ditch and nosed over coming to rest up right. Examination of the controls by federal aviation administration inspectors revealed that the mixture control cable had separated and the throttle power lever linkage retainer was missing. An overhauled carburetor was installed on may 5, 1993.
Factual narrative
On July 27, 1993, at approximately 0830 central daylight time, an Aero Commander 100, N4134X, sustained substantial damage near Vidor, Texas, following a forced landing due to a loss of engine power. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the pipeline patrol flight.
During telephone interviews, conducted by the investigator in charge with the pilot and operator, the following information was revealed. The flight departed Lake Charles, Louisiana, and was en route with a final destination of Beaumont, Texas. During cruise flight at approximately 500 feet above the ground, there was a total loss of engine power. A forced landing was made to a wet field. During the landing roll, the nose wheel hit a ditch and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest up right.
Examination of the airplane by the Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed that the throttle mixture control cable was separated at the carburetor, the retainer for the cable was missing, and the control arm was in the shutoff position.
According to the maintenance records, which were reviewed by the investigator in charge, an overhauled carburetor was installed on May 5, 1993. On July 13, 1993, the carburetor heat control cable had been adjusted.
The airplane was released to the owner's representative following the investigation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4134X
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 100
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 233
- Airframe hours
- 3,922
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Chenault, Bryan E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 17, 1993
- Departed
- LCH · Lake Charles, LA
- Destination
- BMT · Beaumont, 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
- 62
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 144 in this make and model · 3,500 as pilot in command · 208 in the last 90 days · 78 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BPT, 10 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.