# Accident 20110128001009A: Harvey Patt RANS S-6ES, Buckeye, AZ, January 28, 2011 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 28, 2011, 14:35 local time - Place: Buckeye, AZ - Airport: Buckeye - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.4222° N, 112.6864° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4222&lon=-112.6864&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8053R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8053R) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Harvey Patten RANS S-6ES (registry code 056235W, https://openairdocs.org/model/harvey-patten-rans-s-6es) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Jabiru 3300A (registry code 34804, https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-3300a) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HARVEY PATT RANS S-6ES - Reported engine: JABIRU 3300 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Flight instructor, sport pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,902 total, 386 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR11CA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA112) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110128001009A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 01-28-2011 PILOT REPORTED AFTER DEPARTING THE SEDONA AZ (SEZ) AIRPORT WITH A PLANNED FLIGHT TO THE BUCKEYE AZ AIRPORT (BXK) HE PROCEEDED TO CLIMB AT 90MPH TO HIS PLANNED ALTITUDE OF 8,500 FEET. UPON REACHING 8,500 FT HE GENTLY PUSHED THE CONTROL STICK FORWARD AND PULLED BACK ON THE THROTTLE, BUT NOTICED HE HAD NO RESISITANCE ON THE CONTROL STICK. THE PILOT CONTINUED TO PUSH AND PULL ON THE CONTROL AND REALIZED IT WAS HAVING NO EFFECT ON THE PITCH OF THE AIRCRAFT. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT DETERMINED HE HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM. HE STILL HAD LEFT AND RIGHT AILERON AND RUDDER CONTROL. THE PILOT DECIDED IT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD DECISION TO RETURN TO THE SEDONA (SEZ) OR COTTONWOOD (P52) AIRPORTS CONSIDERING THEY WERE BOTH MOUNTAIN AIRPORTS AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO THE BUCKEYE (BXK) AIRPORT AS PLANNED. AFTER STABALIZING THE AIRCRAFT THE PILOT REMOVED THE CENTER CONSOLE PLASTIC COVER TO SEE IF HE COULD DETERMINE WHERE THE FAILURE HAD OCCURED. HE COULD SEE THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT CONTROL STICKS MOVING AND VARIOUS BRACKETS AND BOLTS, THE FRONT CONTROL ROD AND NOTHING BEYOND THAT. HE CONTINUED HIS FLIGHT MAKING SMALL POWER CHANGES AND CLIMBING TO A FINAL ALTITUDE OF 10,000 FEET. THE PILOT REPORTED BY ADDING 1/2 TURNS ON THE THROTTLE IT WOULD PRODUCE A 200/300 MIN CLIMB AND BY REMOVING A 1/2 TURN WOULD PRODUCE A 200/300 MIN DECENT. AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES NORTH OF LAKE PLEASANT HE DECIDED TO START HIS DECENT INTO THE (BXK) AIRPORT. AT 5 MILES NORTH OF LAKE PLEASANT HE CONTACTED LUKE APPROACH AND NOTIFIED THEM OF HIS INTENSION TO LAND AT (BXK) AND OPTED NOT TO INFORM THEM OF HIS CURRENT SITUATION. HE CONTINUED GRADUALLY DECENDING INTO (BXK) AND REQUESTED HIS RADAR SERVICE TO BE TERMINATED 15 MILE NORTH OF (BXK) AIRPORT. AT THIS TIME HE WAS LINED UP FOR A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 17. WHEN HE WAS 12 MILES FROM THE (BXK) AIRPORT HE MADE HIS FIRST RADIO CALL ANNOUNCING HE WAS 12 TO THE NORTH INBOUND FOR LANDING. AT 10 MILES OUT HE MADE ANOTHER RADIO CALL TO THE (BXK) AIRPORT TRAFFIC REQUESTING TO KNOW HOW MANY AIRCRAFT WERE IN THE PATTERN. A PILOT REPORTED THERE WERE 3 AIRCRAFT IN THE PATTERN. THE PILOT OF N8053R IDENTIFIED THAT HE WAS HAVING ELEVATOR CONTROL PROBLEMS AND NEEDED TO DO A STRAIGHT IN FOR RUNWAY 17 AND REQUESTED THE OTHER AIRCRAFT TO GIVE HIM SOME ROOM. THE PILOT ASKED IF HE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT OF N8053R DECLINED INDICATING HE THOUGHT HE COULD GET THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT OF N8053R CONTINUED TO REPORT EVERY 2 MILES, UNTLI HE REACHED THE 5 MILE MARK AND THEN REPORTED EVERY 1 MILE UNTIL SHORT FINAL. THE PILOT OF N8053R STATED EVERTHING LOOK GOOD UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 17 WHEN THE AIRCRAFT GOT INTO A SLIGHT DOWN DRAFT WHICH PULLED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TOWARDS THE GROUND. HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER TO BRING THE NOSE BACK UP BUT APPEARED TO PULL HIM FURTHER AND FASTER INTO THE GROUND. AT THAT POINT HE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO HIT HARD AND COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE RUNWAY AT APPROX. 100 MPH AND 150 FEET DOWN FROM THE THRESHOLD ON THE CENTERLINE. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED APPROX. 400 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST 6 FEET OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 17 IN THE DIRT. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE AIRCRAFTS NOSE GEAR HAD BROKEN OFF ON IMPACT CAUSING A PROPELLER STRIKE. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS TO THE PROPELLER, LOWER ENGINE COWLING LOWER ENGINE AREA AND ENGINE EXHAUST. PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. ## 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 WPR11CA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA112), Jan 28, 2011: Harvey Patten Rans S-6ES (N8053R), Buckeye, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: A disconnection of the elevator control linkage due to incorrect installation or maintenance, which was due to the retaining nut backing off the bolt and allowing the bolt to fall out. 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.