Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shepherdsville, Kentucky 40013
Saturday, June 27, 2009 10:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was in cruise flight between 1,700 and 2,200 feet mean sea level when the engine rpms decreased. He applied throttle with negative results. The airplane continued to descend and he performed a forced landing to a soybean field. Review of the airplane logbooks revealed that the airplane had flown 2.29 hours since the last annual inspection. Postaccident examination of the airframe and flight controls revealed no anomalies; however, the mixture control cable was found to be separated from the mixture control arm. The mixture cable wire tip was not bent 90 degrees to prevent it from being withdrawn if the attaching nut should become loose, as required by the maintenance manual. The cable did not exhibit any signs of damage or stretching, and it was not broken at the attach point to the attaching bolt in the mixture control arm of the carburetor. The mechanic who performed the last annual inspection stated that he did not remember if he did or did not bend the cable 90 degrees.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The mechanic's improper inspection of the mixture control cable.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/27/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Shepherdsville
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40013
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 375917N
Event Location Longitude 0824550W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID LOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 546
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25755
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 18 2009 12:04PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N172TJ
NTSB Number ERA09LA372
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 172D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17249552
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
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 Oct 3 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1636
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name Joseph L. Tapay
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Louisville
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40208
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Joseph L. Tapay
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Louisville
Operator State KY
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 40208
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 07KY
Departure City Louiosville
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BRY
Destination City Bardstown
Destination State KY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 6 2010 3:43PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --