Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hyampom, California 96046
Sunday, July 12, 1998 8:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After takeoff, the airplane made a climbout over mountainous terrain. After clearing the terrain, the pilot reduced the power and descended into an open valley. Approximately 1,800 feet above the ground level, he advanced the throttle, but did not receive an increase in engine power. The pilot declared an emergency and attempted to land on a narrow gravel bar next to a river. The main landing gear skimmed over the water and up onto the gravel bar edge. The left main gear sunk into the soft gravel at the waters edge and the aircraft came to rest inverted on the gravel bar. The pilot stated that an annual inspection had been performed 11 days prior to the accident, and the airplane had accumulated 3 flight hours since the inspection. He further reported that when he inspected the throttle cable assembly, following the accident, he noted that it had become detached from the carburetor throttle arm due to a missing bolt, nut, and cotter pin. The FAA was unable to verify that those components were missing as the pilot had repaired and ferried the aircraft to another location.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Inadequate annual inspection that resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to a missing bolt, nut, and cotter pin from the throttle/carburetor assembly.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HYAMPOM
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96046
Event Date Year 1998
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 17
Degrees magnetic from airport 290
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 745 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 288
Weather Observation Facility ID ACV
Elevation of weather observation facility 218
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 1829
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1336
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:37AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6248R
NTSB Number LAX98LA230
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 188320
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 Jul 1 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 2486
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL Z. AREY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 267
Aircraft Owner City HYAMPOM
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96046
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 Q75
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Descent
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 --