A cotter pin fell out of the throttle cable at the carburetor.

Attributes
ACN	272743
Time
Date	199405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : f4s
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pbi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 23 flight time total : 590 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	272743
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

This was my first flight following an engine swap and 100 hour inspection. The FBO that did the work test flew and signed off the aircraft. 1/2 hour into flight, following a reduction in power to descend from 1500 ft MSL to 1000 ft MSL, I noticed that the power/RPM did not return to normal when applying additional throttle. Upon testing by trying to increase and decrease power, I found that I did not have any control over engine power setting. At that time I was at 1000 ft, 105 KTS, 2200 RPM. I contacted pbi departure control and advised them of an immediate need to get to nearest airport. I was advised that I was closer to north county airport (F4S) 7 mi versus pbi 8-9 mi. I decided to continue on to F4S. Power was starting to drop off and I wanted to get to an airport as soon as possible. I contacted F4S on unicom and advised them of the problem and announced to traffic to allow me to land first and stay out of area until I was on the ground. By the time I got to F4S, power was down to 1400 RPM and speed at 70-75 KTS and altitude around 650 ft MSL. I applied 20 degrees flaps, pulled mixture, cut off fuel supply and shut down on short final. Electrical power and unlocked door. Landing was without incident. I was able to roll out onto a taxiway mid field. A mechanic from the FBO that did the work was called and, upon removing cowl, we found the throttle cable disconnected from the carburetor. In addition, there was no cotter pin in the nut/bolt on the mixture cable. We reinstalled new hardware and cotter pins and problem is now corrected. Guess is, no cotter pin in bolt on throttle cable allowed nut to back off and bolt to drop away. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this incident occurred at north county airport, palm beach, a new facility that is not yet on the charts. It is designated 'F4S' and is an uncontrolled airport. The FBO that did the 100 hour inspection no longer does any maintenance other than emergency repairs such as tire changes, etc. The maintenance manager at the FBO was let go.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COTTER PIN FELL OUT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE AT THE CARB.

Narrative: THIS WAS MY FIRST FLT FOLLOWING AN ENG SWAP AND 100 HR INSPECTION. THE FBO THAT DID THE WORK TEST FLEW AND SIGNED OFF THE ACFT. 1/2 HR INTO FLT, FOLLOWING A REDUCTION IN PWR TO DSND FROM 1500 FT MSL TO 1000 FT MSL, I NOTICED THAT THE PWR/RPM DID NOT RETURN TO NORMAL WHEN APPLYING ADDITIONAL THROTTLE. UPON TESTING BY TRYING TO INCREASE AND DECREASE PWR, I FOUND THAT I DID NOT HAVE ANY CTL OVER ENG PWR SETTING. AT THAT TIME I WAS AT 1000 FT, 105 KTS, 2200 RPM. I CONTACTED PBI DEP CTL AND ADVISED THEM OF AN IMMEDIATE NEED TO GET TO NEAREST ARPT. I WAS ADVISED THAT I WAS CLOSER TO NORTH COUNTY ARPT (F4S) 7 MI VERSUS PBI 8-9 MI. I DECIDED TO CONTINUE ON TO F4S. PWR WAS STARTING TO DROP OFF AND I WANTED TO GET TO AN ARPT ASAP. I CONTACTED F4S ON UNICOM AND ADVISED THEM OF THE PROB AND ANNOUNCED TO TFC TO ALLOW ME TO LAND FIRST AND STAY OUT OF AREA UNTIL I WAS ON THE GND. BY THE TIME I GOT TO F4S, PWR WAS DOWN TO 1400 RPM AND SPD AT 70-75 KTS AND ALT AROUND 650 FT MSL. I APPLIED 20 DEGS FLAPS, PULLED MIXTURE, CUT OFF FUEL SUPPLY AND SHUT DOWN ON SHORT FINAL. ELECTRICAL PWR AND UNLOCKED DOOR. LNDG WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO ROLL OUT ONTO A TXWY MID FIELD. A MECH FROM THE FBO THAT DID THE WORK WAS CALLED AND, UPON REMOVING COWL, WE FOUND THE THROTTLE CABLE DISCONNECTED FROM THE CARB. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS NO COTTER PIN IN THE NUT/BOLT ON THE MIXTURE CABLE. WE REINSTALLED NEW HARDWARE AND COTTER PINS AND PROB IS NOW CORRECTED. GUESS IS, NO COTTER PIN IN BOLT ON THROTTLE CABLE ALLOWED NUT TO BACK OFF AND BOLT TO DROP AWAY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT NORTH COUNTY ARPT, PALM BEACH, A NEW FACILITY THAT IS NOT YET ON THE CHARTS. IT IS DESIGNATED 'F4S' AND IS AN UNCTLED ARPT. THE FBO THAT DID THE 100 HR INSPECTION NO LONGER DOES ANY MAINT OTHER THAN EMER REPAIRS SUCH AS TIRE CHANGES, ETC. THE MAINT MGR AT THE FBO WAS LET GO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.