- Date
- April 8, 1995, 14:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- Addison, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N13WMGardner Varieze
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950408007379A
- Case key
- 19386
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 jammed throttle. Factors were the knob becoming loose and separating from the throttle lever, and the lack of suitable terrain available 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
While on a 1.5 mile final approach at Addison airport (ADS) the pilot was requested by the tower controller to slow down for traffic sequencing. Power was reduced to slow down. As the pilot attempted to increase throttle to maintain altitude, he noticed it was 'jammed.' Prior to reducing power, the pilot saw that the knob assembly of the throttle control lever had 'dropped off.' During a landing to an open field, the airplane struck a berm. Examination of the throttle quadrant revealed that the throttle control had become misaligned. When the throttle control was aligned, the throttle would move full travel fore and aft.
Factual narrative
On April 8, 1995, at 1440 central standard time, a Gardner VariEze, N13WM, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Addison, Texas. The private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight.
The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector the following information. He was on a 1.5 mile final approach at Addison Airport (ADS) and was requested by the tower controller to slow down for traffic sequencing. "Shortly" before reducing power he saw that the knob assembly of the throttle control lever had "dropped off." As he attempted to increase throttle to maintain altitude, he noticed it was "jammed." The airplane was at 1000 feet and descending; therefore, he made the decision to land in an open field. During the landing roll the airplane struck a berm damaging the landing gear, main gear fuselage attaching points, and the right wing.
The pilot further reported that examination of the throttle quadrant revealed that the throttle control had become misaligned when the knob assembly "dropped off." When the throttle control was aligned, the throttle would move full travel fore and aft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N13WM
- Reported as
- Gardner Varieze
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 218
- Airframe hours
- 1,668
- Engine
- Continental O-320-B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cannon, John
- Registered owner
- Gardner, Wesley C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- TKI · Mckinney, 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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 46 in this make and model · 2,100 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
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 N13WM · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.