42.2233° N, 72.3114° WPlaced by OpenAirDocs at Metropolitan Airport, closed, within about a mile.Open in the map
Date
November 17, 1991 · 17:00 local
Place
Palmer, MA
Airport
Metropolitan Airport
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
NR871
Reported as
Amtrad Buccaneer
Reported engine
ROTAX ROTAX503
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
280 total80 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days
From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Rudder jammed into elevator on takeoff. Homebuilt dived into trees. Lower rudder attach bolt failed due to corrosion
As the FAA filed it
RUDDER JAMMED INTO ELEVATOR ON TAKEOFF. HOMEBUILT DIVED INTO TREES.LOWER RUDDER ATTACH BOLT FAILED DUE TO CORROSION