What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On October 27, 2001, about 1530 hours pacific standard time an experimental thomson/harmon rocket ii, N325L, was substantiallty damaged during an off-airport landing near Perris, California. Neither the commercial rated pilot nor commercial rated pilot passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The local area flight originated at chino, California, about 1500. The pilot of the recently built experimental airplane reported experiencing control problems prior to force landing in a plowed field. According to the federal aviation administration inspector's examination of the airplane, a bolt and nut was missing from the control system that affected control of the airplane. The inspector described them as an AN3-7A bolt and an an 3651032 nut, respectively, from the aileron control. (-23) in flight, control stick became less responsive. Ailerons and elevator were difficult to maintain level flight. Pilot announced over the radio to have a hard time maintaining control of the aircraft. At hanger, where ai rcraft was stored after the crash, noted that the bolt and nut (AN3-7A and AN365-1032) were missing from the control stick mounting point. With this hardware missing the ailerons and elevator were very unresponsive.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON OCTOBER 27, 2001, ABOUT 1530 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME AN EXPERIMENTAL THOMSON/HARMON ROCKET II, N325L, WAS SUBSTANTIALLTY DAMAGED DURING AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING NEAR PERRIS, CALIFORNIA. NEITHER THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT NOR COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT PASSENGER WAS INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT CHINO, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1500. THE PILOT OF THE RECENTLY BUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE REPORTED EXPERIENCING CONTROL PROBLEMS PRIOR TO FORCE LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD. ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR'S EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, A BOLT AND NUT WAS MISSING FROM THE CONTROL SYSTEM THAT AFFECTED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE INSPECTOR DESCRIBED THEM AS AN AN3-7A BOLT AND AN AN 3651032 NUT, RESPECTIVELY, FROM THE AILERON CONTROL. (-23) IN FLIGHT, CONTROL STICK BECAME LESS RESPONSIVE. AILERONS AND ELEVATOR WERE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. PILOT ANNOUNCED OVER THE RADIO TO HAVE A HARD TIME MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. AT HANGER, WHERE AI RCRAFT WAS STORED AFTER THE CRASH, NOTED THAT THE BOLT AND NUT (AN3-7A AND AN365-1032) WERE MISSING FROM THE CONTROL STICK MOUNTING POINT. WITH THIS HARDWARE MISSING THE AILERONS AND ELEVATOR WERE VERY UNRESPONSIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.