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.
Narrative: top half of rudder separated from aircraft. Uneventful landing; no injuries. Found top rudder hinge was of "new" type triple hinge design and failure occurred at hinge line. Hinge failure overloaded tubular rudder spar with subsequent spar failure and departure from aircraft. M&d and safety recommendation filed. This incident is considered closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: TOP HALF OF RUDDER SEPARATED FROM AIRCRAFT. UNEVENTFUL LANDING; NO INJURIES. FOUND TOP RUDDER HINGE WAS OF "NEW" TYPE TRIPLE HINGE DESIGN AND FAILURE OCCURRED AT HINGE LINE. HINGE FAILURE OVERLOADED TUBULAR RUDDER SPAR WITH SUBSEQUENT SPAR FAILURE AND DEPARTURE FROM AIRCRAFT. M&D AND SAFETY RECOMMENDATION FILED. THIS INCIDENT IS CONSIDERED CLOSED.
Other reports on N5521X · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.