Engine Power Loss and Emergency Declaration
An instrument flight was cleared to a cruise altitude of 6,000 feet. A few minutes after the flight began, the pilot experienced a reduction in engine power. He declared an emergency and attempted to restore the engine to full operating power. The pilot moved the fuel mixture lever to full rich and activated the fuel system boost pump, but was unable to restore full engine power.
ATC Assistance and Approach
After completing the emergency procedures, air traffic control instructed the pilot to turn to a magnetic heading of 125 degrees for vectors to the nearest airport. The pilot descended below the clouds and established a final approach for an emergency landing.
Landing Flare and Ground Collision
As the pilot flared the aircraft for touchdown on the runway, he recalled that the stall warning horn was blaring. He also stated that the flight controls were barely responsive at the time. The left wing then collided with the ground.
Examination Findings
An examination of the engine assembly revealed that the propeller pitch control arm at the propeller governor had separated from the governor assembly. A review of service data indicated that a service bulletin had been issued to prevent the separation of the governor control arm, but this bulletin had not been accomplished on the accident airplane. The governor control arm separation occurred four flight hours after the last annual inspection.