- Date
- September 27, 1998, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Durango, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4568FCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980927034559A
- Case key
- 44048
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
Improper maintenance by an unknown person and the subsequent throttle cable disconnect due to a castellated nut separation. Factors were the none suitable soft terrain for the forced landing, and the failure of the nose wheel landing gear during the landing roll.
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 experienced a partial power failure and performed a forced landing to a field. The field was wet and soft; the nose wheel failed aft during the landing roll, and the airplane nosed over. Postimpact examination of the engine revealed that the castellated nut which held the throttle cable in place had backed off and separated from the airplane. The displacement of the throttle cable permitted the engine to transition to the idle position.
Factual narrative
On September 27, 1998, approximately 1730 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 152, N4568F, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a partial power failure near Durango, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was owned/operated by Durango Air Service, Inc. under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area personal flight which originated approximately 35 minutes before the accident.
According to the pilot, he experienced a power failure and performed a forced landing to an open field. The field was wet and soft; the nose wheel landing gear failed aft during the landing roll, and the airplane nosed over. The vertical stabilizer and left wing were bent.
Postimpact examination of the engine revealed that the castellated nut which held the throttle cable in place had backed off and separated from the airplane. The displacement of the throttle cable permitted the engine to transition to the idle position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4568F
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15282989
- Airframe hours
- 10,154
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Durango Air Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 22, 1998 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- DRO
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 220 total · 131 in this make and model · 171 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DRO, 8 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.