Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

W. Frankfort, Indiana 46810
Monday, August 3, 1998 12:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While at cruise altitude the airplane began to lose power after the pilot had adjusted the mixture control. The pilot said he attempted numerous throttle, mixture and fuel tank settings to regain power. The airplane began losing altitude and the pilot said he decided upon a forced landing. While making a turn toward the field of choice, the airplane's auto-extend landing gear extended. The airplane began a more rapid sink rate and the pilot had to select another field. The airplane's left main landing gear struck a power line. The airplane landed in a left yaw attitude without its left main landing gear attached to the airframe. The airplane's auto-extend landing gear is designed to extend the landing gear when the airplane's airspeed goes below 105-MPH. This sytem can be over-ridden by using a switch in the airplane's cockpit. The on-scene investigation revealed the fuel mixture control's mechanical linkage had separated from the flexible cable attached to the mixture control's lever. The fuel servo's mechanical mixture control stop for the mixture lever did not have wear marks at the full rich position.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the fuel mixture control linkage, and inadequate inspections by maintenance personnel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City W. FRANKFORT
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46810
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1772
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2218
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4596T
NTSB Number CHI98LA298
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 PA28-R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7235103
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 May 18 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3134
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OWEN AYCOCK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10 AUDUBON DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ASHEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28804
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 LAF
Departure City LAFAYETTE
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 --