Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Slanesville, West Virginia 25444
Saturday, April 7, 2001 14:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot purchased the airplane in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was destined for Woodbine, New Jersey. On the second day of his trip, while in cruise flight over West Virginia, the engine momentarily lost power and then returned to cruise rpm. This intermittent condition continued and the pilot was unable to return the engine to normal operation. He elected to perform a precautionary landing in an open field below him. After main wheel touchdown, the nose wheel touched down, and dug into the soft ground. The airplane nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination revealed that the mixture control cable housing had come loose, which allowed it to move toward the idle cut-off position. The engine ran satisfactorily after the mixture control cable housing was properly secured.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loose mixture control cable housing which resulted in an intermittent running engine, and the pilot's subsequent decision to perform a precautionary landing. A factor was the soft terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/7/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Slanesville
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25444
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 392230N
Event Location Longitude 0783130W
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1440 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 136
Weather Observation Facility ID OKV
Elevation of weather observation facility 727
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) 1581
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10428
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern Region Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1604
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2001 10:56AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Baltimore, Maryland

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N974CA
NTSB Number NYC01LA095
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 150D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15060194
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 24 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37.59
Airframe Hours 3890.23
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Jeffrey Yard
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Linwood
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08221
Operator is an individual? Yes
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 4G7
Departure City Fairmont
Departure State WV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FDK
Destination City Frederick
Destination State MD
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --