Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charlottesville, Virginia 22901
Monday, July 17, 1989 21:17 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE RECEIVING VFR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES AT 10,500 FT THE PLT REPORTED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA 1/4 MILE NW OF THE CHARLOTTESVILLE ARPT WHILE RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL LINKAGE BETWEEN THE THROTTLE AND THE VARIABLE ABSOLUTE CONTROLLER ASSEMBLY DUE TO PROGRESSIVE WEAR. THE FAILURE WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE THROTTLE PLATE TO VIBRATE TO THE CLOSED POSITION. FURTHER EXAM REVEALED THAT A WAVE WASHER WAS MISSING IN THE LINKAGE ASSEMBLY. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OVERHAULED AND THE TURBOCHARGER REPLACED 24 AND 12 MONTHS RESPECTIVELY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE THROTTLE AND VARIABLE ABSOLUTE CONTROLLER ASSEMBLIES BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WHICH RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2117
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHARLOTTESVILLE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22901
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 641
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2117 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CHO
Elevation of weather observation facility 641
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1875
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40963
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N118FC
NTSB Number BFO89FA060
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model V35TC
Aircraft Series Identifier V35TC
Aircraft Serial Number D8075
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Feb 28 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEMCO CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5201 SOUTH 300 WEST
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84107
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CLT
Departure City CHARLOTTE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CXY
Destination City HARRISBURG
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --