Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minden, Louisiana 71055
Tuesady, June 20, 1989 8:59 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE HAD JUST BEEN PURCHASED AND WAS BEING FERRIED TO A NEW LOCATION. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD LEVELED OFF AT 3,500 FEET, AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE, BUT THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. HE PLACED THE MIXTURE CONTROL BACK TO FULL RICH AND THE ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT, SO HE DECIDED TO FLY THE REMAINDER OF THE FLIGHT IN FULL RICH. HE SAID THE ENGINE RAN GOOD FOR FIVE MINUTES, THEN THE RPM STARTED TO FALL FROM 2,400 TO 1,500, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. ATC FURNISHED VECTORS TOWARD THE NEAREST AIRPORT, BUT THE ENGINE QUIT COMPLETELY AND THE PILOT HAD TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE MIXTURE CONTROL HOUSING, AT THE CARBURETOR, HAD SLIPPED FROM THE ATTACHMENT CLAMP. THE MIXTURE CONTROL ARM WAS FOUND IN CUTOFF AND IT WAS FOUND THAT IT WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF CUTOFF, DESPITE THE POSITION OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL IN THE COCKPIT. IT COULD BE MOVED MANUALLY, AT THE CARBURETOR. THE ACFT HAD AN ANNUAL UNSPECTION 1.6 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PERFORMED DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION 1.6 FLYING HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN THE MIXTURE CONTROL BECOMING DISCONNECTED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 859
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MINDEN
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71055
Event Date Year 1989
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 Pilot
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 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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 324
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38866
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60625
NTSB Number FTW89LA114
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier 150J
Aircraft Serial Number 15070457
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 May 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 4709
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MILLIRON, HENRY R
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6312 CROSSWIND
Aircraft Owner City SHREVEPORT
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71119
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES M. MAPLES, JR.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address LUMINA CLUB #5
Operator City WRIGHTSVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48280
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DTN
Departure City SHREVEPORT
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GNV
Destination City GREENVILLE
Destination State MS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --