Accident Details
On May 4, 2025, at about 1200 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172N airplane, registration N75775, was substantially damaged during an accident near Longmont, Colorado. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight, with a student pilot at the controls. The student pilot was not injured.
The student pilot reported being on final approach when he noticed the engine was not responding to throttle control changes. The engine speed was approximately 2,000 rpm when he attempted a go-around. However, applying full throttle did not increase engine power, and the airplane would not climb due to the low power setting. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power completely, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck a fence and nosed over. The airframe sustained substantial damage to the right wing, vertical stabilizer, and rudder.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector determined that the throttle cable was disconnected from the carburetor. Both the throttle cable and the carburetor control arm moved freely, and there was no evidence of damage to either component. The connecting hardware—a bolt and nut—were not observed at the time of the examination.
Maintenance Background
Airplane maintenance records showed that a 100-hour inspection had been completed three weeks before the accident, during which the engine carburetor was replaced. The airplane had accumulated about 9.9 hours of flight time since that maintenance. The mechanic noted that an apprentice had replaced the carburetor. The mechanic had gotten busy with other tasks and did not fully inspect the apprentice’s work.