- Date
- July 20, 1991, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hesperia, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N54694Cessna C-172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910720028849A
- Case key
- 27301
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
A stuck engine throttle due to improper maintenance procedures.
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 decided to divert to Hesperia due to weather. During the enroute let down, the pilot discovered that the throttle control was frozen and could not be moved when he attempted to add power. The throttle was frozen at an engine power level insufficient to maintain level flight and the aircraft collided with high tension power lines while attempting to maneuver to the runway. The aircraft was examined by FAA airworthiness inspectors who confirmed that the throttle was frozen in an intermediate setting. The engine was overhauled on June 18, 1991. At that time the carburetor was also overhauled, including the installation of new throttle bushings and a shaft. Between the engine overhaul and the date of the accident, the aircraft discrepancy log sheets maintained by southbay aviation documented six prior complaints by renter pilots that the throttle was sticking on an intermittent basis. The corrective action recorded on the discrepancy sheets consisted of replacing the throttle cable.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54694
- Reported as
- Cessna C-172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275037
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- South Bay Aviation
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- LAS · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- TOA · Torrance, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 117 total · 30 in this make and model · 62 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.