# Incident 20010627039109I: Beech A36, Bakersfield, CA, June 27, 2001 - Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 27, 2001, 10:10 local time - Place: Bakersfield, CA - Airport: Meadows Field - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.4336° N, 119.0569° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4336&lon=-119.0569&mi=10 - Aircraft: N808NH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N808NH) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-550 series (registry code 17042, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH A36 - Reported engine: CONT IO550B - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,164 total, 51 in this make and model, 92 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01IA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01IA241) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010627039109I ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.4) ON JUNE 27, 2001, AT 1010 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH A36, N808NH, EXPERIENCED RESTRICTED ELEVATOR CONTROL MOVEMENT WHILE PERFORMING A GO-AROUND AT MEADOWS FIELD, BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA. INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT TRAINING ACADEMY WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), DUAL STUDENT, AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED BAKERSFIELD AT 0921. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, DURING THE INCIDENT FLIGHT THE STUDENT WAS PERFORMING AN APPROACH TO MEADOWS FIELD WHEN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL INSTRUCTED THE AIRPLANE PILOT TO GO AROUND. DUE TO THE STUDENT'S DELAYED RESPONSE, THE CFI STATED THAT HE ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND INITIATED THE GO-AROUND. WHILE RECONFIGURING THE AIRPLANE, THE NOSE CAME UP TOO HIGH, AND HOLDING FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE CONTROL WHEEL AND PITCH TRIM REDUCTION SEEMED INEFFECTIVE. THE CFI INDICATED THAT HE APPLIED ADDITIONAL FORCE TO THE ELEVATOR CONTROL, THE CONTROLS FREED, AND THE NOSE ABRUPTLY PITCHED DOWN AND BECAME JAMMED IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE CFI AGAIN PULLED BACK WITH GREAT FORCE, THE ELEVATOR CONTROL FREED, AND THE NOSE CAME UP TO AN EXCESSIVELY NOSE-UP PITCH ATTITUDE. THE OSCILLATION CONTINUED FOR ABOUT THREE TO FOUR CYCLES. ROLL AND YAW CONTROLS WERE NOT AFFECTED. THE CFI INDICATED THAT HE SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND LANDED IN A FLAPS UP CONFIGURATION. A POST-INCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO PITCH TRIM ABNORMALITIES. HOWEVER, THE ELEVATOR EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL BINDING. A MORE DETAILED INSPECTION REVEALED THAT A SCREWDRIVER HAD BEEN LEFT UNDER THE AIRPLANE'S FLOOR IN PROXIMITY TO CONTROL CABLES. SPECIFICALLY, A 10-INCH-LONG SCREWDRIVER WAS FOUND WEDGED BETWEEN THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR RETRACT ROD AND THE ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLES BENEATH THE FORWARD SPAR COVER, BETWEEN AND UNDER THE PILOTS' SEATS. AS THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED, THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR RETRACT ROD MOVED THE SCREWDRIVER AGAINST THE ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLE RESULTING IN BINDING. WHEN THE SCREWDRIVER WAS REMOVED, THE ELEVATOR OPERATION WAS NORMAL. A RECORD REVIEW REVEALED THAT ON JUNE 25, 2001, A CONTRACT MECHANIC HAD PERFORMED MAINTENANCE ON THE AIRPLANE. THE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED TAKING OFF THE FORWARD SPAR COVER TO ALLOW REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF A FLAP MOTOR GEARBOX ASSEMBLY AND FLAP FLEX DRIVES. SINCE THIS MAINTENANCE, THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OPERATED 5.8 FLIGHT HOURS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX01IA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01IA241), Jun 27, 2001: Beech A36 (N808NH), Bakersfield, CA, incident, no damage. Probable cause: During landing approach, mechanical binding of the elevator control cable occurred due to a contract mechanic's improper maintenance. ## Other reports on N808NH (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20020502007569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020502007569I), May 2, 2002: Beech A36 (N808NH), Paso Robles, CA, Minor damage. (-23) Aircraft landed with the gear up on rwy 19. During investigation of crash, FAA inspector noted gear handle in the "up" position. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.