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20031025031429I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Piper PA-32RT-300T · Fayetteville, NC · October 25, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 25, 2003 · 15:26 local
Place
Fayetteville, NC
Airport
Fayetteville Regional/Grannis
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N39541
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL04IA028
Reported as
Piper PA32RT300T
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
N39541Registered now · Piper PA-32RT-300TS/N 32R-7887104 · Built 1978Airframe modelPiper PA-32RT-300TEngine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot departed grays creek airport (2GC) for a short flight to a nearby airport. Upon rotation he noticed that the aircraft seemed to "jump" off of the runway. He trimmed the aircraft and climbed to 1000 feet elevation. When he began to "level off" he noticed that the controls seemed to stretch. He trimmed the aircraft for level flight and realized that had little to no elevator control. He contacted Fayetteville regional airport (fay) and declared an emergency and asked for runway 4. He maintained his airspeed and controlled the pitch using the elevator trim. He lowered his gear with no change in pitch. He stated that right before the aircraft touched down it "nosed over". Upon landing the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest on the runway. Upon investigation it was found that one of the turnbuckles an elevator control cable had broken due to corrosion that was previously undetected. The damage to the aircraft was limited to the engine, propeller, cowling, and nose gear.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED GRAYS CREEK AIRPORT (2GC) FOR A SHORT FLIGHT TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. UPON ROTATION HE NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO "JUMP" OFF OF THE RUNWAY. HE TRIMMED THE AIRCRAFT AND CLIMBED TO 1000 FEET ELEVATION. WHEN HE BEGAN TO "LEVEL OFF" HE NOTICED THAT THE CONTROLS SEEMED TO STRETCH. HE TRIMMED THE AIRCRAFT FOR LEVEL FLIGHT AND REALIZED THAT HAD LITTLE TO NO ELEVATOR CONTROL. HE CONTACTED FAYETTEVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT (FAY) AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND ASKED FOR RUNWAY 4. HE MAINTAINED HIS AIRSPEED AND CONTROLLED THE PITCH USING THE ELEVATOR TRIM. HE LOWERED HIS GEAR WITH NO CHANGE IN PITCH. HE STATED THAT RIGHT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IT "NOSED OVER". UPON LANDING THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE RUNWAY. UPON INVESTIGATION IT WAS FOUND THAT ONE OF THE TURNBUCKLES AN ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLE HAD BROKEN DUE TO CORROSION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY UNDETECTED. THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIMITED TO THE ENGINE, PROPELLER, COWLING, AND NOSE GEAR.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL04IA028Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportFayetteville, NCFlight control elevator attachment turnbuckle corrosion and fracture resulting in the loss of aircraft control in flight.Oct 25, 2003 · Minor damage

Other reports on N39541 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19791023054699IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Woodbridge, VATurbocharger exhaust coupling, PN556-108, loosened and jumped flange 22 hours after AD compliance.Oct 23, 1979