Accident Details
On July 4, 2023, at about 1407 central daylight time, a Grumman American Aviation AA-5A, registration N26387, was substantially damaged during an accident near Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The flight was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Flight Narrative
The pilot reported that earlier that day, he departed from the airplane's home base and flew to Huntsville International Airport, Huntsville, Alabama, where he performed a RNAV approach. After climbing to 3,500 ft mean sea level while en route to Guntersville Municipal Airport – Joe Starnes Field, Guntersville, Alabama, he adjusted the engine power settings. The engine power then decreased. He described that the engine power remained at high idle and did not respond to throttle control inputs. The pilot declared an emergency and descended at slightly above best glide airspeed, aiming to land at Redstone Arsenal, which he believed was the nearest airfield. When it became apparent the airplane could not reach the runway, he selected a nearby field with a paved road. After landing on the road, he applied maximum braking; the left wing impacted a metal pole, causing damage to the wing's leading edge measuring 39 inches. The total wingspan was 31 ft 6 inches.
Postaccident Examination
An FAA inspector conducted a postaccident inspection of the engine compartment. The throttle control cable assembly remained attached to the throttle control lever of the fuel injection servo, but the outer cable assembly was not secured in the engine compartment. As a result, movement of the throttle control in the cockpit did not move the throttle control lever. A clamp, shim, two screws, and two metal self-locking nuts that secured the outer cable assembly were not located, but a washer was found loose in the engine compartment.
Maintenance History
A review of the maintenance records showed that the throttle cable was replaced during the airplane's last annual inspection, completed on November 13, 2022. The airplane had accumulated about 15 hours of operation since that inspection.