Student Pilot Reports Throttle Stuck at High Power; Other Pilots Assist

In January 2022, college student and student pilot Akash Aggarwal was flying solo toward Watsonville Municipal Airport in California when an attempted reduction in power caused the engine to surge to full power. Further throttle movements did not restore normal control.

Aggarwal abandoned the landing attempt and began circling while trying to determine what had happened. He declared an emergency on 121.5 MHz, but did not immediately establish contact with air traffic control. AOPA reported that radio coverage in the area could be inconsistent.

Two airline pilots, one from FedEx and one from Alaska Airlines, heard the situation and began offering suggestions. Aggarwal then moved to the Watsonville common traffic advisory frequency, where a certified flight instructor joined the conversation and helped work through the problem.

The group developed a plan to control the engine using the mixture rather than the throttle. That gave Aggarwal a way to reduce power for the landing even though the normal throttle control remained ineffective.

Air traffic control eventually reached Aggarwal through other aircraft and asked whether he wanted emergency equipment. He initially declined. On final approach, at about 800 feet, he attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful.

The landing was nevertheless completed safely, and Aggarwal cleared the runway. In retrospect, he said the event reinforced the importance of remaining calm and organized when an aircraft does something unexpected.

The value of the event lies not only in the successful landing but in the way the problem was solved collectively. A student pilot with a serious control problem received practical assistance from other pilots and an instructor until a workable alternative method of controlling engine power was identified.

Accident Facts

Recorded line: “A student pilot has a throttle stuck at 100% power and can't slow down to land!”

Sources

AOPA, “Student handles throttle trouble on final” — https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2022/march/08/student-handles-throttle-trouble-on-final

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-WJCgcBXMk