Piper PA-28-151 N44438

Summary

On 24 July 1998 at about 15:58 local time, a Piper PA-28-151 registered N44438 was involved in an accident near Newport, New Hampshire, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 July 1998 at 15:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Newport, New Hampshire, United States

Nearest airport

Parlin Field (2B3)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-151

Registration

N44438

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bedford → Burlington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC98LA152

4 people had minor injuries.

The seizure of the throttle shaft, due to the overhaul facilities' failure to insure all metal fragments had been removed from the carburetor before inserting the throttle shaft after reaming the throttle shaft bushings.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After departing and climbing to a cruise altitude of 6,500 feet above mean sea level, the pilot made a power reduction to descend below a cloud layer. After reducing power the throttle became stuck. Unable to move the throttle, the pilot diverted to an alternate airport. With the engine still running the airplane touchdown on the runway, but the pilot was unable to stop the airplane. The airplane exited the departure end of the runway, traveled 75 feet, and came to rest on top of a hill. While landing, the pilot thought the throttle was in the idle position. After the accident he realized it was slightly open. Examination of the carburetor, which had 12 hours since overhaul, revealed that the throttle shaft could not be rotated by hand, and a punch and hammer was required to remove the shaft. The shaft was galled where it rested on the bushings. Both ends of the original shaft (part number CF 13-1521) measured .3105 of an inch in diameter. A new shaft supplied by the overhaul facility measured .3104 of an inch in diameter at both ends. Under the supervision of the NTSB Investigator, the original throttle bushings were re reamed with the original router. Then, the new throttle shaft was inserted, and it rotated freely. The old shaft was then inserted, but was difficult to rotate. After removing the old throttle shaft, the bushings were re reamed, using a new router the company had bought after the accident. Again, the old shaft was inserted, but this time it rotated freely. The butterfly valve was then installed, and the throttle shaft continued to rotate without difficulty

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.