What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(There were no remarks here from the .19 when the .4 remarks were entered by tf on 12/28/99.) (From .4) the pilot experienced binding in the flaps during landing. Unable to find a problem, he decided to takeoff on his return flight. During initital climb, the manually operated flaps abruptly retracted. The pilot was unable to hold the flaps in the extended position to climb, and the airplane contacted trees located in the departure path. Investigation revealed that the flap position locking pin, part number 480-715 (59-040-187-1500), had fallen from its hole, but the retaining roll pin was still in place. The only way to remove this pin from the hole is to first remove the retaining pin, or fracture it in two pieces. The missing pin was not recovered, but a photograph shows a similar dimensioned pin lying below the flap handle assembly. (-23) during a practice approach to canyon creek airstrip, the pilot attempted to raise the flaps after deciding to abort. He found the flap handle button was stuck and could not retract the flaps so he decided to land at canyon creek. After landing the pilot was able to free up the button by jigglin g the handle and button. After making several extensions and retractions of the flaps, he was satisfied with their operation and took off to the east. Approximately 25 feet in the air after departure, the flaps inadvertently retracted and the aircraft began to settle. The pilot grabbed and pulled the handle to lower the flaps and found he could not let go of the handle because it would not lock in place. The airplane settled, clipped some trees, crashed, and burned about 150 feet past the runway. All persons escaped with minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(THERE WERE NO REMARKS HERE FROM THE .19 WHEN THE .4 REMARKS WERE ENTERED BY TF ON 12/28/99.) (FROM .4) THE PILOT EXPERIENCED BINDING IN THE FLAPS DURING LANDING. UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM, HE DECIDED TO TAKEOFF ON HIS RETURN FLIGHT. DURING INITITAL CLIMB, THE MANUALLY OPERATED FLAPS ABRUPTLY RETRACTED. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO HOLD THE FLAPS IN THE EXTENDED POSITION TO CLIMB, AND THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED TREES LOCATED IN THE DEPARTURE PATH. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FLAP POSITION LOCKING PIN, PART NUMBER 480-715 (59-040-187-1500), HAD FALLEN FROM ITS HOLE, BUT THE RETAINING ROLL PIN WAS STILL IN PLACE. THE ONLY WAY TO REMOVE THIS PIN FROM THE HOLE IS TO FIRST REMOVE THE RETAINING PIN, OR FRACTURE IT IN TWO PIECES. THE MISSING PIN WAS NOT RECOVERED, BUT A PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS A SIMILAR DIMENSIONED PIN LYING BELOW THE FLAP HANDLE ASSEMBLY. (-23) DURING A PRACTICE APPROACH TO CANYON CREEK AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE FLAPS AFTER DECIDING TO ABORT.HE FOUND THE FLAP HANDLE BUTTON WAS STUCK AND COULD NOT RETRACT THE FLAPS SO HE DECIDED TO LAND AT CANYON CREEK. AFTER LANDING THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO FREE UP THE BUTTON BY JIGGLIN G THE HANDLE AND BUTTON. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL EXTENSIONS AND RETRACTIONS OF THE FLAPS, HE WAS SATISFIED WITH THEIR OPERATION AND TOOK OFF TO THE EAST. APPROXIMATELY 25 FEET IN THE AIR AFTER DEPARTURE, THE FLAPS INADVERTENTLY RETRACTED AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. THE PILOT GRABBED AND PULLED THE HANDLE TO LOWER THE FLAPS AND FOUND HE COULD NOT LET GO OF THE HANDLE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT LOCK IN PLACE. THE AIRPLANE SETTLED, CLIPPED SOME TREES, CRASHED, AND BURNED ABOUT 150 FEET PAST THE RUNWAY. ALL PERSONS ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.