Probable cause
Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the throttle cable to the fuel servo.
NTSB analysis
While flying an instrument landing system approach with his flight instructor, the pilot said he added power to stay on the glide slope but the engine remained at 1,600 rpm. He declared an emergency with the tower air traffic controller, and looked for a suitable forced landing area. During the forced landing on a hill, the wings and landing gear received substantial damage. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the throttle cable separated from the arm of the fuel servo. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the airplane had undergone an engine change 32 hours prior to the accident.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA243 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Apr 14, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Latrobe, Pennsylvania
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Dusk
Piper PA-28-180
- N-number
- N5325L
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.