Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rock Springs, Wyoming 82902
Friday, June 26, 1992 6:42 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE FROM THE ROCK SPRINGS AIRPORT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT INITIATED A COURSE REVERSAL. UNABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING DURING WHICH THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON LANDING ROLL AS THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ACROSS ROUGH TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN FLIPPED OVER. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUT AND BOLT WHICH SECURE THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE TO THE CARBURETOR CONTROL ARM WERE MISSING AND THE TWO COMPONENTS HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED. AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD BEEN PERFORMED TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT DURING WHICH THE CARBURETOR HAD BEEN REMOVED AND REINSTALLED. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT WHILE HE WAS 'ATTACHING THE CABLE TO THE ARM, HE WAS CALLED AWAY TO THE TELEPHONE.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE DISCONNECTION OF THE THROTTLE CABLE AND COLLAPSE OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: IMPROPER MAINTENANCE INSTALLATION BY THE MECHANIC WHOSE ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED AND THE ROUH/UNEVEN TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 642
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ROCK SPRINGS
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82902
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 659 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID RKS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6760
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 90
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1948
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 725
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2724Q
NTSB Number SEA92LA135
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182K
Aircraft Series Identifier 182K
Aircraft Serial Number 18257924
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 24 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 2370
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WOLFE, GERALD D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1409 LINCOLN
Aircraft Owner City ROCK SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WOLFE, GERALD D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1409 LINCOLN
Operator City ROCK SPRINGS
Operator State WY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 82901
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 RKS
Departure City ROCK SPRINGS
Departure State WY
Departure Country
Departure Time 615
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GCK
Destination City GARDEN CITY
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --