ST. AUGUSTINE, FL, USA
N231KF
MOONEY M20K
PLT STATED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT 4,000 FEET THE ENGINE REDUCED TO IDLE POWER OVER A 30 SECOND PERIOD. MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL HAD NO EFFECT ON ENGINE POWER. WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING AT AN AIRPORT THE AIRPORT COULD NOT BE REACHED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN A SWAMP. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT INDICATED THE THROTTLE CABLE OUTER HOUSING HAD SEPARATED FROM THE THROTTLE CONTROL AT A POINT IT IS SWAGED. THIS ALLOWED THE INNER CONTROL CABLE TO FLEX AND NOT MOVE THE THROTTLE ARM. THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT WITH NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
THE SEPARATION OF THE SWAGE BETWEEN THE THROTTLE OUTER HOUSING AND THROTTLE CABLE RESULTING IN LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL AND THE ENGINE REDUCING TO IDLE POWER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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