Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 28-140 near Wickenburg, AZ — 2015-11-25

Final reportWPR16LA033
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Date
2015-11-25
Location
Wickenburg, AZ, USA
Airport
E25
Aircraft
PIPER PA 28-140
Registration
N7PM
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

A partial loss of engine power due to a separation of the mixture control cable clamp, which was either not installed or secured correctly during maintenance.

NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and private pilot were approaching the airport for landing. According to the flight instructor, when the pilot applied engine power to arrest the airplane's descent, the engine did not respond. Because the airplane was not within gliding distance of the runway, the pilots performed an emergency landing on desert terrain, sustaining substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and empennage. Examination of the engine revealed that the carburetor mixture control cable clamp, which should have been located between the firewall and the carburetor mixture control arm, was missing. Without the clamp, the mixture control cable could flex, which resulted in no corresponding movement of the arm when the mixture control lever was adjusted in the cockpit. A test of the engine with a makeshift clamp revealed no anomalies. It is likely that, because the airplane had flown about 1 hour before the accident, the mixture control cable clamp separated during the flight, and the mixture control arm became stuck in a reduced-fuel position, resulting in a partial loss of engine power. The engine had been reinstalled on the airplane about 1 hour tachometer time before the accident. It is likely that the clamp was improperly installed or secured at that time.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked engine response before base leg to prevent forced landing.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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