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20250217000729A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 180K · Breckenridge, TX · February 17, 2025

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 17, 2025 · 14:30 local
Place
Breckenridge, TX
Airport
Stephens County
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N597JC
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN25LA100
Reported as
Cessna 180K
Reported engine
Continental O-470 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
15,000 total
N597JCRegistration cancelled May 8, 2025 · Cessna 180KS/N 18053054 · Built 1979Airframe modelCessna 180KEngine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot was testing the newly installed navigation equipment and autopilot by conducting a coupled GPS approach to runway 17 at bkd. At approximately 3/4 mile north of the runway the pilot tested the “go-around” function by pressing the go-around button on the autopilot and attempting to apply power. The aircraft engine did not respond to any movement of the throttle control. Seeing the aircraft could not make the runway the pilot decided to make an off field landing. The surface below the approach to runway 17 is densely covered with trees. The pilot turned left to land in an area with as few trees as possible.

Just before touchdown the right wing struck a mesquite tree. The right main landing gear struck the ground with enough force to remove the right main wheel and tire. The aircraft flipped over and came to rest on its roof approximately 60 feet from the initial ground impact.

Inspection of the aircraft wreckage revealed the throttle cable/carburetor attach bolt was missing.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS TESTING THE NEWLY INSTALLED NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT AND AUTOPILOT BY CONDUCTING A COUPLED GPS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 17 AT BKD. AT APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE NORTH OF THE RUNWAY THE PILOT TESTED THE “GO-AROUND” FUNCTION BY PRESSING THE GO-AROUND BUTTON ON THE AUTOPILOT AND ATTEMPTING TO APPLY POWER. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND TO ANY MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL. SEEING THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT MAKE THE RUNWAY THE PILOT DECIDED TO MAKE AN OFF FIELD LANDING. THE SURFACE BELOW THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 17 IS DENSELY COVERED WITH TREES. THE PILOT TURNED LEFT TO LAND IN AN AREA WITH AS FEW TREES AS POSSIBLE.

JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A MESQUITE TREE. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE GROUND WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO REMOVE THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL AND TIRE. THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND CAME TO REST ON ITS ROOF APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET FROM THE INITIAL GROUND IMPACT.

INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE REVEALED THE THROTTLE CABLE/CARBURETOR ATTACH BOLT WAS MISSING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN25LA100Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBreckenridge, TXThe mechanic’s failure to properly install the throttle cable hardware resulting in a separation of the cable and loss of engine throttle control.Feb 17, 2025 · Destroyed