ON 6/27/09 AT APPROX. 1050HRS operator WAS OPERATING HIS SPEED BOAT IN THE AREA OF CAPT. NEMOS BAY. HE WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 30MPH AND HEADING TOWARDS A LARGE CLIFF WALL IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE BAY. THE INTENTION WAS TO GO JUMP OFF THE CLIFF. AS HE APPROACHED THE WALL, HE PULLED BACK ON THE BOATS THOTTLE AND THE BOAT DID NOT RESPOND BY SLOWING DOWN. AS HE GOT EVEN CLOSER HE MANIPULATED THE THROTTLE BACK AND FORTH SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT RESPONSE. FINALLY HE PULLED THE THROTTLE ALL THE WAY BACK TO REVERSEAND THE BOAT SLOWED TO APPROX. 20MPH BEFORE THE BOW SQUARELY STRUCK THE CLIFF WALL. THE BOW OF THE BOAT SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE FROM JUST ABOVE THE TRAILER EYE BOLT. THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH CAUSED OPERATOR TO BE THROWN FOWARD CASUING THE BRIDGE OF HIS NOSE TO STRIKE THE METAL FRAME OF THE BOATS WINDSHIELD. HE HAD AN APPROX. 1/2 INCH LACERATION AND AN OBVIOUS DEFORMITY OF THE NOSE. HIS LEFT FOOT BECAME WEDGED BETWEEN THE HELM AND THE DECK. IT TOOK 2 FRIENDS TO PRY HIS FOOT FREE. HIS FOOT HAD ABRASIONS, BUT DID NOT APPEAR TO SUSTAIN ANY MAJOR DAMAGE. OF THE 6 PASSENGERS ONLY one passenger WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED. THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH CAUSED HER SHIN TO STRIKE AN UNKNOWN OBJECT CREATING A BRUISE BUT NOT BEYOND FIRST AID. DURING INSPECTION OF THE VESSEL, I DETERMINED THE THROTTLE DID FEEL STIFF AND IT DID NOT MOVE FREELY BACK AND FORTH AS IT NORMALLY SHOULD. THE STEERING APPEARED TO BE FINE. NOTHING FURTHER.
APACHE JUNCTION               