20120905019769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Ellefson Daniel T-BIRD II · Richfield, UT · September 5, 2012

Date: September 5, 2012 · 10:00 local
Place: Richfield, UT
Airport: Richfield Municipal
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8106C
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12LA413
Reported as: Ellefson Daniel T-BIRD II
Reported engine: ROTAX 912UL
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,300 total18 in this make and model70 in the last 90 days

N8106CRegistration cancelled Jan 9, 2018 · Ellefson Daniel T-BIRD IIS/N 5168 · Built 2004 Airframe modelEllefson Daniel T-BIRD II Engine modelRotax 912UL series4 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.

Pilot reported that during test flights ,following recent re-assembly of aircraft, the aircraft was having pitch controllability issues. During flight the aircraft pitched up uncontrollably and subsequently crashed. Forward fuselage structure damaged, main spar separated and twisted. Aircraft frame twisted.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING TEST FLIGHTS ,FOLLOWING RECENT RE-ASSEMBLY OF AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS HAVING PITCH CONTROLLABILITY ISSUES. DURING FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP UNCONTROLLABLY AND SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED. FORWARD FUSELAGE STRUCTURE DAMAGED, MAIN SPAR SEPARATED AND TWISTED. AIRCRAFT FRAME TWISTED.

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 WPR12LA413Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRichfield, UTA loss of control during landing due to a pitch control malfunction. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to continue flight with a known mechanical problem.Sep 5, 2012 · Substantial damage