Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On June 23, 2011, about 0915 mountain daylight time, a Beech B36TC, N93PP, impacted terrain short of the runway at Colorado Plains Regional Airport (AKO), Akron, Colorado. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane sustained minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Arizona Thunderbolts LLC, Phoenix, Arizona, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Yuma (2V6), Colorado, approximately 0900 and was en route to AKO.

According to the pilot, he reduced power for landing because he was slightly high. When he added power to arrest the descent, the engine failed to respond. The airplane landed short of the runway. The impact drove the main landing gear through the right wing.

During the first functional test, the engine was started using high boost prime. When low boost was selected, the engine quit. During a second examination, it was discovered that the mixture control cable was disconnected from the cable housing attach clamp. When the mixture control was moved inside the cockpit, the cable and housing moved together. The mixture control cable was reconnected and the engine was functionally tested again. The engine operated at all power settings, from idle to 2,800 rpm. Mixture adjustments were made with no anomalies noted. The mixture control cable disconnected from the cable housing attach clamp, which resutlted in the pilot's inability to add power when needed.