PA-28R Cherokee Arrow All Series
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Total 1000; Flight Crew Type 60
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Workload; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Inflight Shutdown
Aircraft
My student and I went out for our flight. We had a bit of a delay due to high volume traffic and departed North West heading towards the practice area. Once over the alert area; we proceeded to do a few basic maneuvers: We did a few sets of steep turns; slow flight and stalls. After the last power off stall we completed the recovery procedure and returned to cruise flight. I asked my student to demonstrate a power on stall. He began by slowing down before initiating the maneuver and therefore retarded the throttle. When he pulled back on the throttle lever he told me that nothing happened. I looked at the gauges and they were showing high manifold pressure indication with the throttle lever retarded. I moved the lever forward and back again to confirm that it was unresponsive and that it was not an error with the gauge. To verify that everything else was working properly I checked all the engine gauges and made adjustments to the propeller lever and mixture control as well. This helped to further identify that it was only the throttle lever. After confirming that the problem was only with the throttle; I asked my student to maintain level flight while I reached for the Pilot Operating Handbook from the back seat to look through the emergency procedures. Since there was nothing in the emergency procedures related to this specific situation we began discussing a plan of action. I came to the conclusion that in order to get the airplane to stop on the runway without throttle control we would need to follow the procedures for landing with the engine shutdown. Having sufficient fuel to fly for about 6 hours and with positive control of the aircraft; I decided to get a second opinion. I contacted tower; told them about the issue and asked them if it was possible to contact [our] school's chief pilot to get his point of view. I was asked to contact Approach and a few moments later they delivered [the chief pilot's] message which confirmed that the procedure to follow would be to slow the aircraft down by use of gear; flaps and propeller lever; then shutting down the engine as I got close enough to the runway to make my landing by gliding the airplane. I reviewed the steps for the procedure in the POH and asked my student to do the same. Then; we discussed the procedure and I assigned him a few tasks as we prepared for our approach to the airport. The student would be in charge of reading the checklist and turning off the fuel selector valve because I was unable to reach it and I would be flying the airplane. After briefing the procedure and advising that we were ready to begin our approach we were given instructions to set up for a long final. Established on final I lowered the gear; waited for the speed to be close to flap extension range and slowly lowered the flaps and set the propeller to low RPM. That helped me slow down as we descended towards the runway. At about 1/4 mile from the runway; and once the landing was assured; I reduced the mixture to idle off to shut down the engine. With the engine stopped I was able to slow the airplane enough to land and exit the runway without further incident.
PA 28R-201 instructor reported a complete throttle failure; and dead-sticking the aircraft to a safe landing.