20060926019689I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Amblmp ABCA60 · Beverly, MA · September 26, 2006

Date: September 26, 2006 · 11:30 local
Place: Beverly, MA
Airport: Beverly Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N614LG
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC06IA229
Reported as: Amblmp ABCA60
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,000 total5,000 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

N614LGRegistered now · American Blimp A60RS/N 014 Airframe modelAmerican Blimp A60R Engine modelLimbach LIMBACH L20004 cycle

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) Aircraft maintenance personnel had just completed 100 hour inspection on airship at Beverly Municipal Airport (bvy). During runup a gust of wind caused the main gear to strike the ground with excessive force. The impact caused the rudder control chain to be jarred off its sprocket unbeknown to the maintenance personnel. Pilot subsequently departed bvy on a flight but did not complete a flight control check. Pilot immediately realized he had no rudder control. Pilot made an emergency landing in 60 foot tall trees 5.2 miles e. se of bvy with only slight damage to the airbag fabric and gondola bottom fabric cover.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL HAD JUST COMPLETED 100 HOUR INSPECTION ON AIRSHIP AT BEVERLY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (BVY). DURING RUNUP A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE MAIN GEAR TO STRIKE THE GROUND WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE RUDDER CONTROL CHAIN TO BE JARRED OFF ITS SPROCKET UNBEKNOWN TO THE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED BVY ON A FLIGHT BUT DID NOT COMPLETE A FLIGHT CONTROL CHECK. PILOT IMMEDIATELY REALIZED HE HAD NO RUDDER CONTROL. PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN 60 FOOT TALL TREES 5.2 MILES E. SE OF BVY WITH ONLY SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE AIRBAG FABRIC AND GONDOLA BOTTOM FABRIC COVER.

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 NYC06IA229Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportManchester, MAA malfunction of the rudder control system, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection. Contributing to the incident was the inadequate design of the chain keeper guards.Sep 26, 2006 · Minor damage