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19971013031199A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Scwzer SGS 1-26A · Fairfield, PA · October 13, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 13, 1997 · 17:30 local
Place
Fairfield, PA
Airport
Mid Atlantic Soaring Center
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1154N
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC98LA011
Reported as
Scwzer SGS126A
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
686 total15 in the last 90 days
N1154NRegistration cancelled Apr 8, 2013 · Schweizer SGS 1-26AS/N 56 · Built 1957Airframe modelSchweizer SGS 1-26AEngine modelNONENone

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.

Pilot was taking glider for a check ride after repairs and crashed into ground, Fairfield, PA. (.4) before takeoff, the pilot installed the wings and tail on the glider. During the takeoff, just after the glider became airborne, it pitched up vertically. After the tow rope was released the nose dropped, and the glider impacted the ground. The pilot had recently completed fabric recovering repair to the glider's fuselage and replaced the elevator control cables. Examination of the glider revealed that the control cables were rigged in reverse and the elevator control horn located in the aft end of the fuselage was installed inverted from its normal position. About 8 days prior to the accident an airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspector authorization performed an annual inspection which included a statement, 'ac assembled and rigged.' At that time, the complete elevator assembly was not installed. The pilot completed the elevator installation after the annual inspection. Prior to the flight, the pilot was asked by a witness if he had performed a 'positive control check' of the primary flight controls, which the pilot stated 'yes.'

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS TAKING GLIDER FOR A CHECK RIDE AFTER REPAIRS AND CRASHED INTO GROUND, FAIRFIELD, PA. (.4) BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PILOT INSTALLED THE WINGS AND TAIL ON THE GLIDER. DURING THE TAKEOFF, JUST AFTER THE GLIDER BECAME AIRBORNE, IT PITCHED UP VERTICALLY. AFTER THE TOW ROPE WAS RELEASED THE NOSE DROPPED, AND THE GLIDER IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY COMPLETED FABRIC RECOVERING REPAIR TO THE GLIDER'S FUSELAGE AND REPLACED THE ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLES. EXAMINATION OF THE GLIDER REVEALED THAT THE CONTROL CABLES WERE RIGGED IN REVERSE AND THE ELEVATOR CONTROL HORN LOCATED IN THE AFT END OF THE FUSELAGE WAS INSTALLED INVERTED FROM ITS NORMAL POSITION. ABOUT 8 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC WITH INSPECTOR AUTHORIZATION PERFORMED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION WHICH INCLUDED A STATEMENT, 'AC ASSEMBLED AND RIGGED.' AT THAT TIME, THE COMPLETE ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY WAS NOT INSTALLED. THE PILOT COMPLETED THE ELEVATOR INSTALLATION AFTER THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS ASKED BY A WITNESS IF HE HAD PERFORMED A 'POSITIVE CONTROL CHECK' OF THE PRIMARY FLIGHT CONTROLS, WHICH THE PILOT STATED 'YES.'

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC98LA011Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFairfield, PAThe improper installation of the elevator cables and elevator control bell-crank by the pilot, and an inadequate annual inspection by the mechanic. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate preflight of the flight controls prior to takeoff.Oct 13, 1997 · Minor damage