Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913
Monday, July 10, 1995 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES TO THE INITIAL DEPARTURE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TAKEOFF, AND RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT TOLD A LINEMAN AT THE AIRPORT THAT HE EXPERIENCED A DROP OF 6 TO 7 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE DURING TAKEOFF. THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED TO REMOVED THE ENGINE COWLINGS AND WORK ON THE ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR. AFTER REPLACING THE COWLINGS, THE PILOT DID SEVERAL RUNUPS AND HIGH SPEED TAXIS DOWN THE RUNWAY FOLLOWED BY ONE FLIGHT AROUND THE PATTERN WHILE HIS PASSENGERS WAITED AT THE TERMINAL. THE PASSENGERS WERE REBOARDED AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED. THE PILOT LANDED AT HIS INTERMEDIATE REFUELING STOP TWENTY MINUTES BEFORE MIDNIGHT. AFTER REFUELING, THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FOR THE FINAL LEG OF THEIR NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB, THE ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES 600 FEET PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING HAD DISENGAGED FROM THE SWAGED END OF THE THROTTLE PUSH ROD ASSEMBLY. THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE FRAYED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS A RESULT OF THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE HOUSING DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE. FACTORS WERE THE NIGHT CONDITION AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 46
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOT SPRINGS
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71913
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 50 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 75
Weather Observation Facility ID LIT
Elevation of weather observation facility 260
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 951
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39875
NTSB Number FTW95FA277
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-31A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-31A
Aircraft Serial Number 73-32-109
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 9 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 2514
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT N. WEILER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4807 WOODWARD
Aircraft Owner City OVERLAND PARK
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66203
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code HOT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 45
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OJC
Destination City OLATHE
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --