Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Essex County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pompton Lakes, New Jersey 07442
Friday, July 14, 2006 17:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The accident flight was the first flight after the airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed. During the flight, the pilot reported that he had no throttle control. The pilot further stated that the engine rpm was 1,400, and the airplane was losing altitude. The pilot attempted to execute a forced landing to an access road; however, the airplane struck trees and a postcrash fire ensued. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the throttle body portion of the carburetor remained attached to the engine, and the cotter pin was missing from the throttle lever locknut. The throttle lever locknut was partially backed-off its stop. In addition, the throttle lever was loose, and the serrations on the throttle shaft stop were disengaged from the serrations on the throttle lever. Review of maintenance records revealed that during the annual inspection, the throttle shaft bushings and shaft assembly were noted as worn, and were subsequently removed and replaced. The mechanic that performed the work stated that he recalled installing a throttle shaft bushing and a throttle shaft, but did not recall a cotter pin missing. Review of a Cessna service manual revealed instructions and diagrams to secure the locknut with a cotter pin. No other preimpact mechanical malfunctions were observed.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Improper maintenance of the throttle shaft, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight, and subsequent impact with trees during a forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/14/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1745 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pompton Lakes |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 07442 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410100N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0741648W |
| Event Location Airport | Essex County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CDW |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 10 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 173 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 10 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CDW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 173 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 21825 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 14 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 25 2007 12:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Teterboro, NJ |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4792D |
| NTSB Number | NYC06LA179 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17272361 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Jul 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 0 |
| Airframe Hours | 10675 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | M D Aeronautical Corp |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 27 Wright Way |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fairfield |
| Aircraft Owner State | NJ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 07004 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Mac Dan Aviation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 27 Wright Way |
| Operator City | Fairfield |
| Operator State | NJ |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 07004 |
| 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 | CDW |
| Departure City | Caldwell |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1700 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | CDW |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 15 2007 2:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |