What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The flight departed Frasca field (C16), Urbana, Illinois, on a local solo training flight. The pilot had performed chandelles, lazy eights, and was performing steep turns when the rudder pedals began to vibrate while in a left turn. He landed at C16 without incident. Ground inspection revealed that the left ruddervator was loose, the left stabilator spar was cracked, and the fuselage was wrinkled ahead of the ruddervators. Inspection also revealed that the ruddervator trim tabs were installed improperly. The pilot was not injured.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE FLIGHT DEPARTED FRASCA FIELD (C16), URBANA, ILLINOIS, ON A LOCAL SOLO TRAINING FLIGHT. THE PILOT HAD PERFORMED CHANDELLES, LAZY EIGHTS, AND WAS PERFORMING STEEP TURNS WHEN THE RUDDER PEDALS BEGAN TO VIBRATE WHILE IN A LEFT TURN. HE LANDED AT C16 WITHOUT INCIDENT. GROUND INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT RUDDERVATOR WAS LOOSE, THE LEFT STABILATOR SPAR WAS CRACKED, AND THE FUSELAGE WAS WRINKLED AHEAD OF THE RUDDERVATORS. INSPECTION ALSO REVEALED THAT THE RUDDERVATOR TRIM TABS WERE INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.