# NTSB MIA06LA104: Christopher Norris Glasair III, N317PS, Daytona Beach, FL, May 4, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 4, 2006, 17:28 local (21:28 UTC) - Place: Daytona Beach, FL - Coordinates: 29.080278, -81.046669 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0803&lon=-81.0467&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 25, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 63661 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA06LA104 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63661/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA06LA104 ## Probable cause The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed while turning towards the runway after experiencing a partial loss of engine power, resulting in an uncontrolled descent, and in-flight collision with the runway. A factor in the accident was the failure of maintenance personnel to properly secure the throttle control lever at the servo fuel injector following maintenance. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - maintenance,installation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - fuel injection control,linkage - not safetied - fuel injection control,linkage - loose - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis While in the traffic pattern between the downwind and base legs, the engine quit. The pilot turned towards the runway, and while turning to line up onto final approach, the airplane experienced an accelerated stall. The pilot recovered to a wings level attitude but the airplane impacted the runway in a nose-low attitude. Examination of the engine revealed the throttle control arm at the servo fuel injector (fuel servo) was not secured to the throttle shaft, which prevented movement of the throttle shaft with movement of the throttle control. A cotter pin was not installed to secure the castellated nut which secures the throttle arm to the throttle shaft. The mechanic who recently installed the fuel servo failed to install the cotter pin. An additional discrepancy noted was that the left magneto was inoperative. ## Factual narrative On May 4, 2006, about 1728 eastern daylight time, a Glasair III, N317PS, registered to and operated by a private individual, was landed hard at Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from Daytona Beach International Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida, to Spruce Creek Airport. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 1712, from Daytona Beach. The pilot stated that the airplane was at Daytona Beach for an engine adjustment and maintenance to the airplane's brakes. The purpose of the accident flight was to reposition to Spruce Creek Airport, where the airplane is based. Prior to departure he performed a preflight inspection and several high speed taxi runs down the runway to "...burn in the new brakes evenly. The engine, instruments, and brakes all worked fine." The flight was cleared for takeoff and he orbited the departure airport one time, then proceeded to the destination airport where he also orbited the airport one time. He entered the traffic pattern for landing on runway 05, and "...somewhere between downwind to base leg the engine quit and I immediately turned the aircraft towards the runway while I attempted to re-start the engine." He was unable to restart the engine and while turning to line up with the runway after clearing trees, the airplane experienced an accelerated stall. He recovered to a wings level attitude, but impacted onto the runway in a nose low attitude. He secured the airplane then waited for help to arrive. Examination of the engine by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed that movement of the throttle control in the cockpit did not result in movement of the throttle control shaft at the servo fuel injector. The serrated teeth of the throttle control arm which connects to serrated teeth of the throttle control shaft were ratcheting or slipping with movement of the throttle control in the cockpit. Further examination of the throttle control arm revealed a castellated nut was installed but not tight, and no cotter pin was noted securing the castellated nut. Additionally, the left magneto was not operating. That discrepancy was traced to a failure of the carbon brush not contacting the coil tab inside the magneto. No other discrepancies were reported. Review of the airplane maintenance records revealed the servo fuel injector (fuel servo) had been overhauled on March 22, 2006, and reinstalled, but the mechanic who reinstalled the fuel servo did not make an entry in the airplane maintenance records indicating the work he had performed. The mechanic who installed the servo fuel injector reported to the FAA airworthiness inspector that he should have caught the missing cotter pin. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N317PS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N317PS-2008-04-09), registration cancelled 2008-04-09, S/N 3007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Christopher Norris Glasair III - Registry model: [Norris Christopher GLASAIR III](https://openairdocs.org/model/norris-christopher-glasair-iii) (registry code 056123O) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 3007 - Airframe hours: 150 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Christopher Norris - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: KDAB, Daytona Beach, FL - Destination: 7FL6, Port Orange, FL - Airport: 7FL6, Spruce Creek Airport, runway 5, 4,000 × 176 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: minor; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 2,500 total, 150 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KDAB ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060504007759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060504007759A), May 4, 2006: Amtr GLASAIRIII, Daytona Beach, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) As the pilot turned base for landing on runway 5 at Spruce Creek Airport he lost engine power and was not able to maintain control of the aircraft. At… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.