What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot stated that he took off from runway 32R and flew a right traffic pattern to pick up a banner. After capturing the banner he applied aft pressure on the stick to initiate a climb. He heard something snapped and the elevator control pressure was lost. He reached for the aft control stick located behind the forward seat, and there was no control pressure there either. He reduced the engine power and crashed landed the aircraft. The aircraft sustained significant damage to the propeller, engine cowling, fuselage, and tail wheel assembly. The investigation revealed that the elevator control cable had failed due to extensive corrosion.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 32R AND FLEW A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN TO PICK UP A BANNER. AFTER CAPTURING THE BANNER HE APPLIED AFT PRESSURE ON THE STICK TO INITIATE A CLIMB. HE HEARD SOMETHING SNAPPED AND THE ELEVATOR CONTROL PRESSURE WAS LOST. HE REACHED FOR THE AFT CONTROL STICK LOCATED BEHIND THE FORWARD SEAT, AND THERE WAS NO CONTROL PRESSURE THERE EITHER. HE REDUCED THE ENGINE POWER AND CRASHED LANDED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, ENGINE COWLING, FUSELAGE, AND TAIL WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLE HAD FAILED DUE TO EXTENSIVE CORROSION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5501A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.