Cessna 150J N60625

Summary

On 20 June 1989 at about 13:59 local time, a Cessna 150J registered N60625, operated by James M. Maples, JR., was involved in an accident near Minden, Louisiana, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 June 1989 at 13:59

Classification

Accident

Location

Minden, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

32.6105, -93.2808

Aircraft

Cessna 150J

Registration

N60625

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James M. Maples, JR.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shreveport → Greenville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89LA114

Nobody was injured.

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PERFORMED DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION 1.6 FLYING HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN THE MIXTURE CONTROL BECOMING DISCONNECTED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE HAD JUST BEEN PURCHASED AND WAS BEING FERRIED TO A NEW LOCATION. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD LEVELED OFF AT 3,500 FEET, AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE, BUT THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. HE PLACED THE MIXTURE CONTROL BACK TO FULL RICH AND THE ENGINE SMOOTHED OUT, SO HE DECIDED TO FLY THE REMAINDER OF THE FLIGHT IN FULL RICH. HE SAID THE ENGINE RAN GOOD FOR FIVE MINUTES, THEN THE RPM STARTED TO FALL FROM 2,400 TO 1,500, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. ATC FURNISHED VECTORS TOWARD THE NEAREST AIRPORT, BUT THE ENGINE QUIT COMPLETELY AND THE PILOT HAD TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE MIXTURE CONTROL HOUSING, AT THE CARBURETOR, HAD SLIPPED FROM THE ATTACHMENT CLAMP. THE MIXTURE CONTROL ARM WAS FOUND IN CUTOFF AND IT WAS FOUND THAT IT WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF CUTOFF, DESPITE THE POSITION OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL IN THE COCKPIT. IT COULD BE MOVED MANUALLY, AT THE CARBURETOR. THE ACFT HAD AN ANNUAL UNSPECTION 1.6 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.