What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-5) Aircraft was enroute from ephrata, WA (eph) to Paine field, WA (pae) on a repositioning flight for cargo operations. In cruise flight, pilot noticed a heavy vibration and difficulty controlling longitudinal pitch control. Pilot declared an emergency and indicated to ATC that he thought the aircraft had lost fabric from an unspecified control surface. The aircraft landed at pae without incident. Inspection by maintenance personnel indicates that the battery box cover on the top surface of the left wing had come loose but remained attached with one fastener. This created turbulence over the upper wing surface and disrupted airflow over the horizontal tail.
As the FAA filed it
(-5) AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM EPHRATA, WA (EPH) TO PAINE FIELD, WA (PAE) ON A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT FOR CARGO OPERATIONS. IN CRUISE FLIGHT, PILOT NOTICED A HEAVY VIBRATION AND DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING LONGITUDINAL PITCH CONTROL. PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND INDICATED TO ATC THAT HE THOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT HAD LOST FABRIC FROM AN UNSPECIFIED CONTROL SURFACE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT PAE WITHOUT INCIDENT. INSPECTION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL INDICATES THAT THE BATTERY BOX COVER ON THE TOP SURFACE OF THE LEFT WING HAD COME LOOSE BUT REMAINED ATTACHED WITH ONE FASTENER. THIS CREATED TURBULENCE OVER THE UPPER WING SURFACE AND DISRUPTED AIRFLOW OVER THE HORIZONTAL TAIL.
Other reports on N9001 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.