Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morgan, Utah 84050
Saturday, February 22, 1997 13:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise at 1,500 feet AGL, the pilot attempted to lean the mixture. He discovered he could not advance the mixture control back into the rich position. Rather, the mixture control would spring back out into an idle position. With the aircraft committed to a reduced power descent, the pilot executed an intentional emergency landing on the westbound lanes of Interstate 84, during which he had to maneuver over an overpass and beneath power lines which crossed the highway. He reported that the landing was hard and during the rollout the aircraft departed the paved surface, veering left across the median, at which time the wheels struck a six inch lip at the edge of the pavement to the eastbound lanes. The aircraft then nosed over. Postcrash examination of the aircraft revealed that the wire-wound sheathing surrounding the mixture control push-pull cable had separated from the solid fitting end which is held firm at the back of the instrument panel. This disconnection allowed the mixture control cable and surrounding wire-wound sheath to flex but prevented the cable from changing the position of the mixture control at the carburetor.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Disconnection of the mixture control wire wound cable sheath. A factor was the abrupt, elevated edge of the highway pavement.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/22/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MORGAN
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84050
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 2
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 267
Weather Observation Facility ID HIF
Elevation of weather observation facility 4789
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 744
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 22 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1250
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N77947
NTSB Number SEA97LA061
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8A
Aircraft Series Identifier 8A
Aircraft Serial Number 3674
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 14 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 1352
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETERSON, GENE, L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5831 SIERRA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City MOUNTAIN GREEN
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84050
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 42U
Departure City
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --