Light Single-Engine Airplane Substantially Damaged During Forced Landing; Investigation Reveals Disconnected Throttle Linkage (N1814T)

Accident Narrative

While operating a light single-engine airplane, the pilot descended to a new altitude and then advanced the throttle to set cruise power. The engine did not respond; it remained at the previous idle setting and gradually lost revolutions per minute. Unable to maintain power, the pilot selected a flat area adjacent to a pond for a forced landing. However, during the approach, the airplane's airspeed was too fast, and the pilot did not touch down on the flat area. Instead, the airplane touched down on the ridge located at the end of the flat area, causing substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot reported the sequence of events and the reason for not landing on the flat area.

Investigation Findings

An on-scene investigation was conducted to determine why the engine did not respond to throttle inputs. The examination revealed that the throttle rod end bearing was not attached to the throttle racket. The attaching bolt that secures the bearing to the racket was missing, resulting in complete separation of these two components. This disconnection prevented the throttle lever movement from being transmitted to the engine, effectively rendering the throttle inoperative. The absence of the bolt and the separated condition of the throttle rod end bearing and racket were documented.