What happened
While operating in the traffic pattern, the pilot of the Cessna (type not specified) lowered the landing gear during the downwind leg. Following this action, a loud bang was heard from the firewall area, and the instrument panel caved in. The engine subsequently lost power, prompting the pilot to maneuver the aircraft toward the airport.
The aircraft touched down approximately 500 to 1,000 feet short of the runway, resulting in a collision with an airport perimeter fence. There were no fatalities reported in the accident.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the mixture control cable had separated at the mixture control arm. Investigators found that the engine control bracket (part number 21189-00) was missing. In the absence of this bracket, the mixture control cable hangs freely below the engine in the area where the nose gear is located when retracted.
A kink in the mixture cable indicated that the cable became caught on a Zerk fitting at the pivot point of the nose landing gear as the gear was extended to the down position. This interference caused the mixture control cable to separate from the mixture control arm on the carburetor.
Findings
- The separation of the mixture control cable from the mixture control arm led to engine power loss.
- The missing engine control bracket allowed the cable to interfere with the nose landing gear mechanism.
- Maintenance records indicated that the aircraft was approximately two months overdue for its annual inspection.