What happened
On October 24, 1985, the aircraft N33461, a Piper J3 Cub, was operating near Green Valley, Arizona. During flight, the pilot experienced an unexpected loss of engine power. The situation required an immediate emergency landing in rough, open terrain.
The investigation
Examination of the accident site and aircraft revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to its structure. Investigators determined that the throttle handle had separated from the linkage tube. This mechanical failure occurred while the engine was operating at idle power settings.
Findings
The separation of the throttle handle from the linkage tube resulted in the pilot having no control over the engine power output. The pilot was not injured during the incident. The lack of engine control directly led to the forced landing in difficult terrain.