20001209023859A

(-23) At approx. 1800 CST on December 09, 2000, Mr. Daniel arthur buhr, holder of commercial airman certificate no. 481948211, was the pilot in command of a Varieze, N64592. Mr. Buhr experienced an uncommanded left roll while leveling the wings from a turn to crosswind which full opposite control would not overcome. Complete power reduction improved the scenario but ground contact was made prior to a wings level configuration. On the scene investigation revealed that the left rudder control cable eye may have hooked itself behind the rudder control arm and caused the rudder to remain extended. Paint was missing from the rear edge of the rudder control arm and a manual movement of the rudder against the centering spring would result in the cable eye hooking itself behind the rudder control arm. The flight was night VFR with no flight plan filed. Mr. Buhr was treated and released from the hospital with only minor cuts and bruises. (.4) on December 9, 2000, at 1800 central standard time, an evans Varieze homebuilt experimental airplane, N64592, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during the initial takeoff climb at the t. p. mccambell airport, near Ingleside, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 code of federal regulations part 91. The commercial pilot, sole occupant, received minor injuries. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the corpus christi international airport, corpus christi, Texas, at an unknown time. The pilot reported to local authorities and the FAA inspector who responded to the site, that while in the traffic pattern, during the turn from upwind to crosswind, full opposite rudder would not overcome an uncommanded roll to the left, which continued until the left wing struck the ground. The airplane came to rest in brushy terrain, approximately 100 yards east of runway 13. The FAA inspector examined the aircraft and found extensive structural damage throughout the airplane. He established flight control continuity with all linkages, push/pull rods, and bellcranks. He observed that paint was missing from the rear edge of the rudder control arm, and manual movement of the rudder against the centering spring resulted in the cable eye hooking itself behind the rudd er control arm. The last condition inspection was performed on September 8, 2000, at a total airframe time of 2,173.6 hours. The pilot estimated that the airplane had accumulated 26 hours of flight time since the last condition inspection. Numerous attempts to obtain a completed pilot/operator aircraft accident report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) from the pilot were unsuccessful.