Bellanca BL-17 N14692

Summary

On 26 July 1998 at about 20:35 local time, a Bellanca BL-17 registered N14692 was involved in an accident near Winnemucca, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 July 1998 at 20:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Winnemucca, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

41.1201, -118.0506

Aircraft

Bellanca BL-17

Registration

N14692

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Boise → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX98LA244

1 person had minor injuries.

Loss of engine power due to a missing cotter key and jam nut, the use of an improper nonapproved part by other maintenance personnel, and failure to safety the installation which subsequently lead to a throttle/carburetor linkage disconnect.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had been on a cross-country flight, which was terminating at the accident airport. The airplane had undergone an annual inspection 3 weeks prior to the accident with no discrepancies noted. After reaching the accident airport environment, the pilot retarded the throttle and noted the airspeed was 120 knots with a loss of manifold pressure. The engine continued to run, but was not producing power. The landing gear is self-activating, and when the airplane slows below 105 knots indicated and the throttle is less than half full, the landing gear will automatically extend. A safety mechanism is in place, so if the throttle is full forward and the airspeed drops below 105 knots, the gear will not extend. The pilot contacted the tower to inform them of her situation, and that she would be able to make the airport with no further problems. Simultaneously, the airspeed fell below 105 knots and the landing gear extended with the throttle in the full forward position. When the airspeed fell below 80 knots, the pilot knew she was not going to clear the railroad tracks and power lines. She made a shallow left turn to fly underneath the power lines and attempted a forced landing on a road. Examination of the airplane revealed that the throttle cable rod end had separated from the throttle body attach point disconnecting the linkage between the throttle and engine. It was noted that the cotter key and jam nut were missing from the assembly and were unable to be located. Further investigation revealed that the throttle cable assembly had been replaced 7 months prior to the accident. It was also noted that the assembly was not from the manufacturer, but is widely used in the industry. The manufacturer reported that they do not authorize any substitutions of their parts.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.