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19980124003579A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Conaer LA4200 · Satasota, FL · January 24, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

Date
January 24, 1998 · 14:30 local
Place
Satasota, FL
Airport
Lake Evers
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2994P
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA98LA078
Reported as
Conaer LA4200
Reported engine
Lycoming IO360A1B
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,847 total1,618 in this make and model81 in the last 90 days
N2994PRegistration cancelled Mar 6, 2021 · Consolidated Aeronautics LAKE LA-4-200S/N 956 · Built 1979Airframe modelConsolidated Aeronautics LAKE LA-4-200Engine modelLycoming I0360 SER A&CReciprocating

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.

Uncommanded pitchdown on climbout. Able land back on river. Left horizontal stabilizer attach failed due to fretting. (-23) during takeoff at about 300 feet, the attach brackett for the left horizontal stabilizer failed causing the assembly to be pushed down approximately 45 degrees. The airplane pitched down almost vertical, both pilots pulled back on the controls ripping the elevator torque from the left elevator. Controlled flt was obtained and a water landing was made.

As the FAA filed it

UNCOMMANDED PITCHDOWN ON CLIMBOUT. ABLE LAND BACK ON RIVER. LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER ATTACH FAILED DUE TO FRETTING. (-23) DURING TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 300 FEET, THE ATTACH BRACKETT FOR THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER FAILED CAUSING THE ASSEMBLY TO BE PUSHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE PITCHED DOWN ALMOST VERTICAL, BOTH PILOTS PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROLS RIPPING THE ELEVATOR TORQUE FROM THE LEFT ELEVATOR. CONTROLLED FLT WAS OBTAINED AND A WATER LANDING WAS MADE.

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 MIA98LA078Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSarasota, FLinadequate clearance and fretting wear of the fitting/beam attachment to the angle/top beam, due to inadequate design, which resulted in fatigue and subsequent failure of the fitting/beam attachment ear.Jan 24, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2994P · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20200814016989ATaxi · West Palm Beach, FLWest Palm Beach, FL (F45): N2994P, LA42, heard a pop while landing. Aircraft caught on fire on taxiway while taxiing. Fire started behind the pilot area. Both occupants were able to exit the aircraft with minor injuries from the flames and were transported to…Aug 14, 2020 · Destroyed