Piper PA-32-300 accident near Dunnellon, Florida, March 2, 2005
On March 2, 2005 at about 4:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N444NM, was destroyed in an accident near Dunnellon, Florida (Twelve Oaks Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the bolt that connects the throttle linkage to the fuel control arm by an unknown maintenance person, which resulted in a loss of the bolt, a loss of engine rpm control, and subsequent forced landing and collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2005 · about 4:37 pm local time
- Place
- Dunnellon, Florida · Twelve Oaks Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N444NM · registry record · serial 32-7940197
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot, with his adult son aboard, departed on a local area flight, with a return to the private fly-in community. After the initial climb, the pilot attempted to retard the throttle to a cruise power setting, but was unable to control the airplane's engine rpm with the throttle, and the engine rpm remained at takeoff power. He subsequently elected to return to the departure airport for an emergency landing. The airplane touched down with the engine still producing takeoff power, and the pilot decided to abort the landing. As the airplane began to climb, the engine rpm began to decrease and lose power, and the pilot selected an emergency landing area that contained 75-foot tall trees. The airplane collided with the trees, and sustained extensive damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. A postimpact fire ensued, with both the pilot and passenger trapped inside of the burning fuselage. The pilot's son was able to free the pilot before the airplane was consumed by fire. A postaccident engine examination revealed that the bolt that connects the throttle linkage to the fuel control arm was missing, and the throttle linkage was disconnected. According to an FAA airworthiness inspector who reviewed the accident airplane's maintenance logbooks, there was no entry in the logbook indicating that any maintenance or repairs had been conducted on the throttle linkage to the fuel control arm.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,882.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2004; 11.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 5FL7 Hernando FL at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,655 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KOCF, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.