Accident Overview
During a night approach to Pueblo Memorial Airport on a taxi flight from Denver, the pilot experienced technical difficulties with the power levers. The left engine was shut down, after which the airplane lost altitude, stalled, and crashed while on final approach. All four occupants sustained injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Sequence of Events
The flight originated from Denver as a taxi flight, with the destination being Pueblo Memorial Airport. As the aircraft approached the airport at night, the pilot encountered problems with the power levers. Specifically, the left throttle cable jammed at approximately 30 inches of manifold pressure. The pilot subsequently shut down the left engine. Following the shutdown, the airplane lost height, stalled, and impacted the ground on final approach.
Probable Cause and Contributing Factors
The official investigation determined the probable cause of the accident was a stall on final approach due to engine control problems. Contributing factors reported included: the throttle-power lever assemblies jammed; the pilot failed to maintain flying speed; there was a partial loss of power on the left engine; and the left engine was shut down after the left throttle cable jammed at approximately 30 inches of manifold pressure.