LUBBOCK, TX, USA
N75077
CESSNA 180
AN INSTRUCTOR WAS PROVIDING QUALIFICATION TRAINING TO THE NEW OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE. ON HIS FIFTH STOP AND GO LANDING, THE PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE ABEAM HIS INTENDED LANDING POINT. WHILE ON BASE LEG, HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO ADJUST HIS RATE OF DESCENT BUT THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND AND CONTINUED TO RUN AT IDLE SPEED. CONTROLS WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE INSTRUCTOR WHO ALSO ATTEMPTED TO INCREASE POWER WITHOUT SUCCESS. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT A RETAINING CLIP ANCHORING THE THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL WAS MISSING THUS ALLOWING THE ENTIRE HOUSING TO MOVE WHENEVER THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED OR RETARDED. WHILE ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING TO A CULTIVATED FIELD, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS SEVERED ON IMPACT WITH THE FURROWS.
THE PARTIAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A DISCONNECTED THROTTLE CABLE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN AT THE PILOT'S DISPOSAL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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