Incident
During an arrival to Chicago Midway Airport on a cold night, the pilot reported difficulty with a sticky throttle. He subsequently made an emergency transmission and stated he was 'going in.' The aircraft then crashed into a warehouse.
Witness Observations
Witnesses observed the aircraft in a descent before the crash. One witness reported that the aircraft passed over his position at about 200 feet above ground level (AGL) and that he could not hear any engine noise. Another witness stated that the aircraft appeared to be coming in as if to land. The aircraft struck the warehouse in a wings-level attitude.
Examination
A teardown of the engine was conducted, but no preimpact part failure or malfunction was found.
Pilot Report
Another pilot, who flew the aircraft on the morning of the accident, reported that the throttle seemed to be stuck when he first started the engine. However, once the engine was warm, the throttle functioned normally. He then completed an uneventful flight.
Weather
The temperature at the time of the accident was reported to be minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit.