What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Practicing touch and go's for one hour, control stuck, unable to climb, crashed. (.4)the pilot reported that he had been doing touch-and-go landings for an hour when he experienced a loss of elevator control during climbout. He said that the airplane had climbed to 400 feet when the control yoke stuck. Efforts, to regain control of the airplane failed. After transmitting several 'may day' calls, the pilot prepared the airplane for ditching. The airplane ditched in about 130 feet of water 200 meters east of the Fajardo shoreline. The airplane was not recovered for examination. The pilot did not report any previous flight control problems with the airplane. (-23) on 07/06/97, pilot carlos rodriguez, after one hour of practice at Fajardo airport, the flying controls got stuck and aircraft could not climb. Aircraft continued flying 200 meters. East of shoreline of airport, and sank into the water. Aircraft PA-34-200, N4515T was completely destroyed. Aircraft was not accessible for inspection due to its being sunk completely with no recovery scheduled. Pilot statement was the only available information on occurrence.
As the FAA filed it
PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO'S FOR ONE HOUR, CONTROL STUCK, UNABLE TO CLIMB, CRASHED. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS FOR AN HOUR WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ELEVATOR CONTROL DURING CLIMBOUT. HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD CLIMBED TO 400 FEET WHEN THE CONTROL YOKE STUCK. EFFORTS, TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED. AFTER TRANSMITTING SEVERAL 'MAY DAY' CALLS, THE PILOT PREPARED THE AIRPLANE FOR DITCHING. THE AIRPLANE DITCHED IN ABOUT 130 FEET OF WATER 200 METERS EAST OF THE FAJARDO SHORELINE. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED FOR EXAMINATION. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY PREVIOUS FLIGHT CONTROL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) ON 07/06/97, PILOT CARLOS RODRIGUEZ, AFTER ONE HOUR OF PRACTICE AT FAJARDO AIRPORT, THE FLYING CONTROLS GOT STUCK AND AIRCRAFT COULD NOT CLIMB. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FLYING 200 METERS. EAST OF SHORELINE OF AIRPORT, AND SANK INTO THE WATER. AIRCRAFT PA-34-200, N4515T WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. AIRCRAFT WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR INSPECTION DUE TO ITS BEING SUNK COMPLETELY WITH NO RECOVERY SCHEDULED. PILOT STATEMENT WAS THE ONLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON OCCURRENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.