- Date
- February 17, 2025, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Breckenridge, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N597JCCessna 180
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20250217000729A
- Case key
- 199714
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The mechanic’s failure to properly install the throttle cable hardware resulting in a separation of the cable and loss of engine throttle control.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
Following an avionics equipment installation, the pilot flew a local flight with a technician to check the newly installed avionics. The departure and maneuvering for a practice approach were uneventful. At glideslope intercept, the pilot brought the throttle to idle for the airplane to decelerate. After a few moments, the pilot noticed the airplane wasn’t decelerating and adjusted the propeller to help create drag to slow the airplane. About 800 ft above ground level, the pilot added throttle for a practice missed approach while the engine was running smoothly, but the engine did not respond. The pilot was unable to restore engine power and made a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane collided with small mesquite trees and came to rest inverted resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the throttle cable to the carburetor was found disconnected, and the castellated nut and cotter pin were not located. The recent avionics installation required the temporary removal of the engine throttle cable. Based on available evidence, it is likely that the mechanic did not properly reinstall the cotter pin resulting in the separation of the cable and a loss of engine throttle cable control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N597JC
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (K)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18053054
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 8,815
- Engine
- Continental O-470-50, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2024 · 20 hours before
- Airport
- BKD
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 28, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 14,943 total · 1,510 in this make and model · 8,750 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KBKD, 1 nm away
- METAR
- KBKD 172035Z AUTO 20014G19KT 7SM CLR 16/00 A2998 RMK AO2 T01620000
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.