Accident Overview
On 14 March 1993, a privately operated Piper PA-28-160, registration HB-OWE, was involved in an overrun accident at Grenchen Airport. The aircraft, carrying a pilot and two passengers, departed from Grenchen at 1308 hours local time for a private flight to Altenrhein, with a stop there, before returning to Grenchen. The pilot held a valid private pilot license.
Sequence of Events
Upon returning to Grenchen, the pilot received landing clearance from the air traffic controller after reporting over the 'Echo' reporting point. After completing the final check, the pilot reduced engine speed to 1800 rpm. While crossing the threshold of Runway 25, he attempted to reduce the throttle to idle, but the engine continued to run at 1800 rpm. Approximately halfway down the runway, the pilot forced the aircraft onto the ground and attempted to brake using the handbrake, with no success. With the runway end approaching, he initiated a go-around, but the engine speed remained unchanged. The aircraft then overflew or rolled over a road at the runway end, crossed a meadow, another road, and came to a stop in a ditch.
Findings
The pilot and passengers exited the heavily damaged aircraft uninjured. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear, wings, and propeller. Third-party damage was insignificant.
A technical inspection after the accident revealed that the throttle cable was no longer connected to the carburetor throttle lever, and the throttle cable was incorrectly mounted on the carburetor bracket, with the lock nut only about two threads engaged on the screw. The aircraft had undergone a 500-hour inspection on 6 November 1992 at Farner Air-Service, during which the throttle cable was replaced. Approximately 7 flight hours were logged between that inspection and the accident flight.
Cause
The accident was attributed to an interrupted throttle cable due to faulty installation.