Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A N48378 accident near Monette, Arkansas

Probable cause

The fracture of the throttle cable in tensile overstress because of wear damage, which resulted in the partial loss of engine power.

NTSB analysis

While climbing out from a private airstrip, the airplane experienced a partial loss of power at 150 feet, and the pilot executed an emergency forced landing in a cotton field. The airplane touched down in the field and subsequently nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The throttle cable was found fractured between the engine and the firewall. Laboratory examination determined that the cable fractured in tensile overstress associated with wear damage. The wear damage is consistent with a sharp bend in the cable trajectory. It is likely that the push-pull operation of the throttle cable may have resulted in further damage to the cable.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11LA610 for the full record.