ERA25LA235

The pilot was returning to his home-base airport after some minor maintenance to the airplane’s emergency locator transmitter. The preflight checks and run-up were normal and he performed a short-field takeoff from a 2,895-ft-long turf runway. As the airplane lifted off and began to climb, engine power decreased. The pilot ensured that the throttle and mixture controls were full forward, but the engine only retained partial power and he was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot subsequently landed the airplane hard on level terrain off the airport property, collapsing the landing gear and resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and right wing. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the throttle cable sleeve had separated from a connection where it was crimped to secure it. Forward movement of the throttle would result in the cable forming a “U” shape and remaining slack. With the throttle in this position, the engine was likely unable to produce sufficient power to continue the climb. The examination identified no other evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Although the engine had been overhauled and reinstalled about a year before the accident, review of maintenance records showed no documentation that a new throttle cable assembly was installed, nor was it required to be. The preexisting engine throttle cable was reattached after the overhaul, inspected, and exercised with no anomalies observed. Additionally, no maintenance to the throttle controls had been documented in the logs between the time of the engine overhaul and the accident. Given the available information, it is likely that the single crimp holding the throttle sleeve in place became loose and detached, which resulted in the throttle moving to a low power position and did not allow the pilot to control the throttle after it separated.

On June 23, 2025, about 0935 eastern daylight time, a Cessna R182 airplane, N262AL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Milton, Florida. The airline transport pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The pilot departed from Dothan Regional Airport (DHN), Dothan, Alabama, and flew to J 22 Ranch Airport (16FL), Milton, Florida, to have a new emergency locator transmitter battery installed. About 90 minutes after arriving, the maintenance was completed, and the pilot departed for the flight back to DHN. The pilot reported that he conducted preflight checks and a run-up, then performed a short-field takeoff from runway 36, a 2,895-ft turf runway. After the takeoff roll and rotation, the pilot began the initial climb and retracted the landing gear. The airplane was about 100 ft over the runway when the engine started losing power. The pilot stated that the engine retained partial power, but that it was not enough to maintain altitude. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the loss of engine power; he checked to make sure the throttle and mixture were full forward, but was unable to regain full power. The pilot subsequently landed off the departure end of the runway and slightly east of the centerline. During the final approach, he held the nose up and landed hard on the level terrain. The impact collapsed the right main landing gear and the airplane skidded to a stop, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing tip was crushed upward, and there was buckling of the wings and fuselage. The 3-blade metal propeller was slightly curled on the outer 12 inches of the blades. The pilot reported that there were 65 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel on board at takeoff. During a subsequent engine examination, the engine crankshaft was manually rotated by the propeller, which confirmed continuity of the powertrain. Thumb compression and suction were achieved on all cylinders. The magnetos sparked on all leads when the input drives were rotated. A lighted boroscope was used to examine all 6 cylinders; no anomalies were observed. During a functional check of the throttle, mixture, and propeller controls, it was revealed that the throttle control end had pulled out of the plunger guide. Manual operation of the throttle did not activate full throttle control to the engine. There was about a 2 1/2 -inch detachment of the throttle plunger and cable where the unit was separated. The line was slack when the throttle was moved to the full power setting, which would have resulted in the engine in a partial power condition (see figure). Figure - Throttle control end and plunger diagram from illustrated parts catalog and photograph of detached throttle cable and plunger. Note the single crimp at the yellow arrow and the area where it should be secured. Yellow circlesidentify parts affected. A review of maintenance records revealed that on October 3, 2022, the engine was removed for overhaul. This included the installation of an overhauled Marvel-Schebler carburetor 10-5235 (Model HA-6). The zero-timed engine was reinstalled, along with magnetos, a new starter and fuel pump. There was no replacement of the throttle cable assembly during reinstallation on March 21, 2024. A subsequent engine run and break-in revealed no defects, and the records indicated that no further maintenance related to the throttle was performed before the accident. A mechanic with inspection authorization who worked on the airframe after the overhauled engine was reinstalled stated that the throttle cable assembly was reconnected to the engine. The subsequent inspection included a visual inspection of the cable controls to ensure proper and secured rigging followed by an exercise of the system; it was manually actuated through the throttle to ensure there was no binding and smooth operation.