West Georgia Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carrollton, Georgia 30117
Tuesady, April 29, 1997 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instrument flight was cleared to a cruise altitude of 6000 feet. A few minutes into the flight, the pilot experienced a reduction in engine power. He declared an emergency and attempted to restore the engine to full operating power. The pilot said he increased the fuel mixture lever to full rich, turned on the fuel system boost pump, but could not restore full engine power. After completing the emergency procedures, the pilot was instructed, by air traffic control, to turn to a 125 degree magnetic heading for vectors to the nearest airport. After descending below the clouds, the pilot established a final approach for the emergency landing. As he flared for the touchdown on the runway, the pilot recalled that the aircraft stall warning horn was blaring. The pilot also stated that the flight controls were barely responsive as the left wing collided with the ground. The examination of the engine assembly disclosed that the propeller pitch control arm, at the propeller governor, had separated from the propeller governor. A review of service data disclosed that a service bulletin had been issued to prevent the separation of the governor control arm from the assembly. This service bulletin had not been accomplished on the accident airplane. The governor control arm separation occurred four flight hours after the last annual inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadequate maintenance inspection of the airplane that resulted in the disconnection of the propeller governor linkage and the subsequent reduction in engine power. The pilot also failed to maintain flying speed that resulted in an inadvertent stall during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/1997
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CARROLLTON
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30117
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WEST GEORGIA REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CTJ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1100
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1156 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 1250
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 465
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 29 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5863S
NTSB Number ATL97LA069
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 33
Aircraft Series Identifier 33
Aircraft Serial Number CD830
Certified Max Gross Weight 3050
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 Apr 5 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 3655
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT E. NICKELS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 646 GRUNBY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MARIETTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30067
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 No
Departure Airport Code KFTY
Departure City ATLANTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KDTS
Destination City DESTIN
Destination State FL
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 16
Runway Length 5001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --