What happened
Following a normal departure, the Cessna aircraft climbed to approximately 4,800 feet mean sea level. During the cruise phase of flight, the pilot observed an audible change in engine operation characterized by intermittent pauses. As the pilot returned toward the airpark, the engine continued to operate abnormally, producing severe popping sounds.
Despite troubleshooting efforts by the pilot, the engine failed to respond and subsequently lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing, touching down approximately one-third of the way down the runway. The aircraft made hard contact with the surface during the landing.
The investigation
A post-accident inspection conducted by an FAA-certified mechanic revealed that the mixture cable had disconnected at the carburetor. Specifically, the mixture linkage had separated where the cable meets the mixture control arm. It was noted that the aircraft's service manual requires the mixture cable to be inspected for travel and operating condition during every 100-hour inspection. The aircraft had last undergone an annual inspection 44 flight hours prior to the accident, at which time the cable was inspected. Due to the physical location of the cable, a complete inspection would require the mechanic to remove it from the throttle arm.