While traveling north in the center of the Big Cypress Bayou channel with no obstructions in view and in calm water the outboard motor shuttered and changed RPM's and the alarm activated.  The boat then started to decrease in speed and come off pad.  The boat then started a slow left turn in which I tried to steer right with no response.  As the boat decelerated further, the left chine caught the water which caused the boat to turn harder to the left which caused me to try to apply full right steering with no response.  At this point the boat was deemed uncontrollable as the driver and passenger got down behind both consoles to ride out the empending beaching.  The boat struck several cypress knees, bushes, sand and rocks and came to rest on the inclined bank.  There were no injuries to driver or passenger.  The authorities were called by cell phone and Texas wildlife and game and Caddo lake patrol responded.  After examination of the outboard it was realized that the foot of the outboard departed the boat after striking an underwater obstruction while under power in the center of the river channel.   The cavitation plate and trunk were also damaged. There was only one vessel involved in this accident.

Operator Completed Report.
Houston                       