Incident Overview
An aircraft was flying at low level over water to film a television commercial when the pilot encountered a loss of engine power. The pilot pushed the throttle forward to increase power, but the engine did not respond. Full throttle was applied, yet the engine still produced no additional power. The pilot stated that there was insufficient power to maintain level flight, necessitating a ditching. The aircraft sank after the water landing.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, the throttle input did not result in any engine response. Despite applying full throttle, the engine failed to deliver the required power. The pilot determined that the aircraft could not sustain level flight and executed a ditching maneuver.
Examination Findings
A post-crash examination of the aircraft revealed that an Adel clamp on the throttle cable was loose. This condition caused the throttle cable to flex without moving the throttle arm on the carburetor. The loose clamp prevented the throttle from commanding the desired engine power, leading to the loss of thrust.