# Accident 20041208032729A: Cessna T207A, Meadview, AZ, December 8, 2004 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 8, 2004, 10:31 local time - Place: Meadview, AZ - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Normal Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: KNFA - Location: 35.9861° N, 114.5986° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9861&lon=-114.5986&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1783U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1783U-2006-02-02) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna T207A (registry code 2073614, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t207a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA T207A - Reported engine: CONT TSIO520* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 1,100 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX05FA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05FA046) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041208032729A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) ALTHOUGH THERE WERE CLOUDS IN THE AREA OF THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE WHERE THE CRASH OCCURRED, THIS PILOT WAS KNOWN TO HAVE GOOD INSTRUMENT FLYING SKILLS AND HAD RECENTLY ACCOMPLISHED HIS INSTRUMENT CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS. AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CHIEF PILOT, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PILOT TRAINING AND ADMINISTERS THE REQUIRED CHECKS AS CHECK AIRMAN, INDICATES THE PILOT HAD SUPERIOR PILOTING SKILLS AND WAS CONSERVATIVE CONCERNING FLIGHT SAFETY. THEREFORE, PILOT COMPETENCE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A CFIT ACCIDENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE SURROUNDING CLIFFS BY HELICOPTER REVEALED NO IMPACT SCARS. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND VERY HARD IN A VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ALTITUDE TO BE MORE THAN 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE RIDGE BEFORE RAPIDLY LOSING ALTITUDE. BOTH WINGS WERE PRESENT AND EVIDENT AT THE CRASH SITE. A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF SOME PORTION OF THE TAIL SECTION WOULD EXPLAIN SUCH A SUDDEN RAPID DESCENT, ASSUMING THE LOSS OF CONTROL WAS NOT INDUCED BY THE PILOT. DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPORTED AND REPAIRED. CONCERNS EXPRESSED ABOUT THIS COMPANY'S MAINTENANCE PRACTICES HAVE PROMPTED THIS FDSO TO CONDUCT INCREASED SURV. (-23 AMENDMENT) THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO ITS HOME BASE AFTER CONDUCTING A WEATHER RECONNAISANCE FLIGHT FOR KING AIRLINES WHEN IT CRASHED ON THE EAST SIDE OF WILSON RIDGE IN ARIZONA. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND VERY HARD IN A VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ALTITUDE TO BE MORE THAN 1,000 FEET ABOVE THE RIDGE BEFORE RAPIDLY LOSING ALTITUDE. BOTH WINGS WERE PRESENT AND EVIDENT AT THE CRASH SITE. A STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF SOME PORTION OF THE TAIL SECTION WOULD EXPLAIN SUCH A SUDDEN RAPID DESCENT, ASSUMING THE LOSS OF CONTROL WAS NOT INDUCED BY THE PILOT. DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPORTED AND REPAIRED. CONCERNS EXPRESSED ABOUT THIS COMPANY'S MAINTENANCE PRACTICES HAVE PROMPTED THIS FSDO CONDUCT INCREASED SURVEILLANCE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION HAS NEVER FOUND SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND ELEVATOR. SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN (SAIB) CE-05-27, ISSUED BY THE FAA ON JANUARY 20, 2005, APPEARS RELEVANT TO THE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT. IT DISCUSSES A CORROSION PROBLEM WITH FOAM-FILLED ELEVATOR TRIM TABS ON THIS AIRPLANE TYPE THAT CAN CAUSE AN IN-FLIGHT FLUTTER OF THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB. ## 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 LAX05FA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05FA046), Dec 8, 2004: Cessna T207A (N1783U), Meadview, AZ, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: a loss of control due to the in-flight separation of the right elevator and elevator trim tab control surfaces. The precipitating reason for the elevator separation could not be resolved as related… 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.