Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Graford, Texas 76045
Tuesady, May 26, 1992 9:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE SECOND PILOT (OWNER/OPERATOR) AND INSTRUMENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DEPARTED A LAKE RESORT AIRPORT DURING VFR CONDITIONS ON WHAT WAS TO HAVE BEEN A DUAL INSTRUCTION CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. DURING THE VFR INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB THE LANDING GEAR DID NOT RETRACT. THE SECOND PILOT WHO WAS THE MANIPULATOR OF THE CONTROLS MADE A VFR ENTRY FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND LANDING AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. ABEAM THE RUNWAY NUMBERS THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT MAINTAINING ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE TREES. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR MANIPULATED THE CONTROLS AND MADE AN EMERGENCY FORCED LANDING INTO THE WATER. DURING RECOVERY OF THE AIRPLANE IT WAS NOTED THAT THE JAM NUT ON THE THROTTLE CABLE WAS LOOSE AND THE TACHOMETER DRIVE CABLE RING NUT WAS LOOSE. FOLLOWING THE RECOVERY AND SECURING OF THE JAM NUT AND RING NUT, AN ENGINE TEST RUN THROUGHOUT THE POWER RANGES WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT ANOMALIES. THE AIRPLANE RECORDS AND TACHOMETER INDICATED 15.76 HOURS SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE GEAR MICROSWITCH TESTED SATISFACTORY. WATER IN THE GEAR MOTOR AND POWERPACK PREVENTED TESTING OF THE GEAR RETRACTION SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOOSE JAM NUT ON THROTTLE CABLE. FACTORS WERE INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AND WATER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 940
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAFORD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76045
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 954 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID MWL
Elevation of weather observation facility 972
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 351
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46524
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9742E
NTSB Number FTW92LA141
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 78-30882
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Jan 13 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 1573
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHNSON, KENNETH D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1230 RIVERBEND DR., SUITE 111
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75247
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHNSON, KENNETH D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1230 RIVERBEND DR. SUITE 111
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75247
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code F35
Departure City GRAFORD
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DAL
Destination City DALLAS
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --