Cessna T206H N1229M accident near Wiggins, Mississippi

Probable cause

A loosening of the engine throttle cable from its support clamp during flight, which resulted in a loss of throttle control.

NTSB analysis

As the pilot leveled the airplane at 2,500 ft mean sea level during the descent for landing, he advanced the throttle but observed no response from the engine. He could not restore engine power; however, the propeller continued to spin. He noted that the throttle "felt very loose" when he attempted to add power. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude, so the pilot performed a forced landing in a field. The airplane collided with trees before coming to rest in the field, which resulted in structural damage to the airframe and minor injuries to the occupants.

During a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine, the portion of the engine throttle cable that was normally clamped just forward of the upper right engine firewall was found forward of and unclamped from its clamping device. Examination of the remainder of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure. It is likely that the throttle cable became unsecured during the flight and led to the lack of throttle response reported by the pilot.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14LA389 for the full record.