What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 09-05-00, N60BW, an amateur built aircraft, departed see on a pleasure flight to L32. Upon return to see, N60BW received permission to execute a low pass down runway 17, joining left traffic for runway 27 lt. during this pass the vertical stabilizer and rudder assy failed and departed the a/c. the emergency landing was successful, with no further damaage to a/c or injuries to the pilot. Investigation revealed forward and aft vertical stabilizer attach points exhibited wood rot. (.4) on September 5, 2000, about 1214 hours pacific daylight time, a williams mite M18L, N60BW, owned and operated by the pilot, experienced the in-flight separation of its vertical stabilizer and rudder assemblies approaching the Gillespie field, san diego, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The experimental airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was performed under 14 CFR part 91, and originated from oceanside, California, at an unreported time. The pilot indicated that on final approach about 50 feet above ground level, the airplane's entire stabi lizer and rudder assemblies separated from the airplane, as a single unit. Thereafter, the airplane veered sharply to the right, and there was a strong tendency to roll inverted. The pilot regained control of the airplane, extended the landing gear, and landed on runway 17 without further mishap. The separated components were subsequently located on airport property. The federal aviation administration examined the components and reported observing evidence of dry rot on the fracture surfaces.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 09-05-00, N60BW, AN AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT, DEPARTED SEE ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT TO L32. UPON RETURN TO SEE, N60BW RECEIVED PERMISSION TO EXECUTE A LOW PASS DOWN RUNWAY 17, JOINING LEFT TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 27 LT. DURING THIS PASS THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER ASSY FAILED AND DEPARTED THE A/C. THE EMERGENCY LANDING WAS SUCCESSFUL, WITH NO FURTHER DAMAAGE TO A/C OR INJURIES TO THE PILOT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED FORWARD AND AFT VERTICAL STABILIZER ATTACH POINTS EXHIBITED WOOD ROT. (.4) ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2000, ABOUT 1214 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A WILLIAMS MITE M18L, N60BW, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, EXPERIENCED THE IN-FLIGHT SEPARATION OF ITS VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER ASSEMBLIES APPROACHING THE GILLESPIE FIELD, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND ORIGINATED FROM OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA, AT AN UNREPORTED TIME. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT ON FINAL APPROACH ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE AIRPLANE'S ENTIRE STABI LIZER AND RUDDER ASSEMBLIES SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, AS A SINGLE UNIT. THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT, AND THERE WAS A STRONG TENDENCY TO ROLL INVERTED. THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR, AND LANDED ON RUNWAY 17 WITHOUT FURTHER MISHAP. THE SEPARATED COMPONENTS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY LOCATED ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION EXAMINED THE COMPONENTS AND REPORTED OBSERVING EVIDENCE OF DRY ROT ON THE FRACTURE SURFACES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.