Amateur-built 235 accident near Fort Payne, Alabama, July 30, 2003
On July 30, 2003 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built 235, registered N7156W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Payne, Alabama (Isbell Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to properly reconnect the mixture control cable resulting in a total loss of engine power, and subsequent in-flight collision with the trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2003 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Payne, Alabama · Isbell Field · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 235
- Registration
- N7156W · no longer on the register · serial JJS3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he removed the carburetor from the accident airplane to troubleshoot another airplane. He reinstalled the carburetor on the accident airplane, and flew it for approximately 20 minutes. While on final approach to land on runway 4, the engine lost power. The airplane collided with trees during an attempted emergency landing. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions. Examination of the carburetor control system revealed that the mixture control cable was not connected. The mixture control arm on the carburetor was in the idle cut-off position.
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
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A9 Fort Payne AL at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from KGAD, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.