Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lake Wales, Florida 33853
Sunday, October 17, 1999 18:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that during cruise flight about 700-800 feet msl, the engine experienced a gradual loss of power. He attempted to correct the loss of power situation but was unable. While descending for a forced landing, the airplane collided with a tree then the ground and nosed over. Post accident examination of the airplane by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed that the mixture control at the fuel metering valve was found about half way between midrange and idle cutoff. The mixture control cable was found separated from the rod end which was still attached to the Bellcrank (Mixture) at the airbox assembly. Damage to about 11 threads at the end of the mixture cable was noted. Maintenance records were reportedly destroyed in the fire. The IA who performed the last annual inspection stated to the FAA inspector that the aircraft owner adjusted the mixture cable rod-end to attain the correct cushion and he (IA) checked it but failed to check the jam nut at the rod end for security. The owner stated that he did not adjust the engine controls in the engine compartment and thought the IA adjusted the engine controls. The pilot is not a certificated mechanic.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The partial loss of engine power due to the inadequate annual inspection of the airplane by the mechanic with IA for his failure to assure that the mixture control cable jam nut at the rod end was secured following the reported adjustment by the airplane owner who is not a certificated mechanic. This resulted in the separation of the mixture control cable and the uncommanded movement of the mixture control to the midrnage point between midrange and the idle cut-off position.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/17/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1830 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | LAKE WALES |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33853 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1850 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LAL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 142 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 25 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1455 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 17 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1920 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 4 2001 7:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N85PR |
| NTSB Number | MIA00LA009 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Unknown |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | A185E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | A185E |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18501777 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3265 |
| 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 | Aug 10 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 9 |
| Airframe Hours | 5900 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | OUTBACK SEAPLANES, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 913 CONSTANCE DR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19808 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | JACK A. SELLET |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2006 LEISURE DR. |
| Operator City | WINTER HAVEN |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 33881 |
| 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 | GIF |
| Departure City | WINTER HAVEN |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1800 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| 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 | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 4 2001 7:08AM |
| 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 | -- |