Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Englewood, Colorado 80112
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 17:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on final approach during an instructional flight, the engine became unresponsive to throttle movements. The flight instructor took control of the airplane from the student pilot and made a forced landing, during which the airplane rolled onto soft ground and nosed over to an inverted position. Engine examination revealed that the engine throttle lever and throttle cable had become disconnected and that the bolt connecting these two components was located at the bottom of the engine cowling. A self-locking nut, which normally secures this bolt, was missing and not located. Therefore, it is likely that maintenance personnel did not apply sufficient torque to the nut or improperly reused a degraded self-locking nut, which resulted in the eventual loosening of the nut and the in-flight separation of the engine throttle lever and throttle cable.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The in-flight separation of the engine throttle lever and throttle cable due to maintenance personnel not applying sufficient torque to the self-locking nut or improperly reusing a degraded self-locking nut.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/2013
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Englewood
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80112
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 393413N
Event Location Longitude 1045058W
Event Location Airport Centennial Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KAPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5885
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KAPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 5885
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KAPA 222253Z 13005KT 10SM FEW080 SCT100 22/0
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32244
NTSB Notification Source Federal Aviation Administratio
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 4 2013 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record folm
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N571MA
NTSB Number CEN13LA291
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DIAMOND AIRCRAFT IND INC
Aircraft Model DA 20-C1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number C0271
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 10 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3360
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name 5280 Flying Club LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3825 Monaco Pkwy #115
Aircraft Owner City Denver
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80207
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name 5280 Flying Club LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3825 Monaco Pkwy #115
Operator City Denver
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80207
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KAPA
Departure City Englewood
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone UTC
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KAPA
Destination City Englewood
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 5 2013 7:56PM
User who most recently changed record folm
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17R
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 77
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --