Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Latrobe, Pennsylvania 15650
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 20:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While flying an instrument landing system approach with his flight instructor, the pilot said he added power to stay on the glide slope but the engine remained at 1,600 rpm. He declared an emergency with the tower air traffic controller, and looked for a suitable forced landing area. During the forced landing on a hill, the wings and landing gear received substantial damage. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the throttle cable separated from the arm of the fuel servo. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the airplane had undergone an engine change 32 hours prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the throttle cable to the fuel servo.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/13/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2020
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Latrobe
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15650
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 401629N
Event Location Longitude 0792424W
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 3
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1199
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 50 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID LBE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1199
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28637
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern 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 30 2011 8:21AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5325L
NTSB Number ERA11CA243
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4628
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 4 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 7745
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name WESTMORELAND AVIATION HOLDING CO INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4996 CHERRY DR
Aircraft Owner City MURRYSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15668-1505
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Joaquin A. Alas
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Greensburg
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 15601
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LBE
Departure City Latrobe
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LBE
Destination City Latrobe
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2011 1:35PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --