SMA SEL TRAINING ACFT MAKES OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG DUE TO PARTIAL PWR LOSS. THERE WAS NO ACFT DAMAGE OR INJURIES.

Narrative

STUDENT PLT INITIATED RECOVERY FROM A DSCNT IN SLOW FLT CONFIGN (40 DEGS FLAPS; CARB HEAT ON); ENG DID NOT RETURN TO FULL PWR. ENG REMAINED AT 1650 RPM AS STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR WENT THROUGH RECOVERY PROCS A SECOND TIME. DURING SECOND ATTEMPT TO RESUME CRUISE RPM; ENG DROPPED TO 1500 RPM FOLLOWING 2 IDLE/FULL CYCLES OF THROTTLE. AS PART OF SECOND RECOVERY ACFT WAS TRIMMED FOR BEST GLIDE AND A TURN WAS INITIATED TO RETURN ACFT TO ARPT APPROX 14 MI S. WHILE IN DSCNT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT COMPLETED PWR LOSS PROCS FROM ACFT CHKLIST. INSTRUCTOR CONTACTED TWR REQUESTING CLRNC TO LAND AND ADVISED ATC OF PARTIAL PWR LOSS. APPROX 4 MI LATER THE INSTRUCTOR CONTACTED TWR ADVISING ATC THAT A FORCED LNDG WAS BEING MADE ABOUT 8 MI N OF THE ARPT. THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT EXECUTED A FORCED LNDG IN A PLUS OR MINUS 3500 FT SOYBEAN FIELD (PLANTS 2 INCHES HIGH). LNDG WAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY; WITH NO INJURIES TO CREW AND NO DAMAGE TO ACFT. CREW WAS ABLE TO CONTACT TWR ON THE GND TO UPDATE ATC OF THE SIT AND REQUEST ASSISTANCE. DURING PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION; FAA OPS INSPECTOR FOUND THE THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY ATTACHMENT HARDWARE LOOSE; WHICH ALLOWED MOVEMENT OF COMPLETE ASSEMBLY; NOT ONLY THE THROTTLE CABLE. FAA OPS AND AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS DISCUSSED A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE FAILURE AS A POSSIBLE CASE OF AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE NON COMPLIANCE. THE INSTRUCTOR DID MAKE AN INSPECTION OF THE ACFT LOGBOOKS SEVERAL WKS EARLIER AND DID NOT FIND ANY DISCREPANCIES. CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS MADE TO THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY ON SITE; WHEREUPON THE ACFT OWNER RETURNED THE ACFT TO ELKHART MUNICIPAL ARPT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF ACFT LOGBOOKS; FAA INSPECTORS FOUND THE ACFT TO BE 4.9 HRS BEYOND THE 100 HR INSPECTION. FLT INSTRUCTOR AND OTHER PLTS DID MONITOR INSPECTION TIMES ON THE ACFT ON AN INSPECTION TRACKING BOARD LOCATED IN THE COMPANY MAINT SHOP. THE 100 HR INSPECTION TIME ON THE TRACKING BOARD WAS INCORRECT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE THE REPEATED FAILURE; REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF THE ACFT AND TACH METERS; RECENT PURCHASE OF THE ACFT WITH THE PRESSURE TO PLACE IT INTO SVC ASAP; INADEQUATE COMPANY INSPECTION TRACKING PROCS. ACFT LOGBOOKS ARE STORED IN A LOCKED/FIREPROOF CABINET AND WERE NOT EASILY AVAILABLE TO PLTS AND MAINT PERSONNEL TO VERIFY POSTED TRACKING BOARD INFO. PRIOR TO THIS FLT; THE INSTRUCTOR MADE 2 1-HR INSTRUCTIONAL FLTS ON JUN/XX/94; AND JUN/YY/94. ON ALL 3 FLTS; THE INSTRUCTOR CHKED THE ACFT INSPECTION TIME TRACKING BOARD PERSONALLY AND FOUND THE AVAILABLE HRS TO BE LESS THAN THE 100 HR INSPECTION TIMES. ADDITIONALLY; THE INSTRUCTOR BELIEVES THE ACFT WAS OPERATED WITH AN INACCURATE WT AND BAL DATA SHEET AS THE ACFT RECENTLY HAD A RADIO REMOVED. AT THE TIME THE INSTRUCTOR BELIEVED THE EQUIP REMOVAL WAS AN INSIGNIFICANT AND TEMPORARY EVENT AND WAS RECORDED APPROPRIATELY IN THE ACFT RECORDS.