What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot reported difficulty controlling aircraft immediately after takeoff. Gained control and was able to turn aircraft back towards felts field airport at approximately 7 miles out. While attempting to land, right wing stayed low and pilot attempted a go-around near mid-field. Aircraft made an abrupt 180 degree RH turn and impacted the river.
Cause of the accident is still under investigation by FAA and NTSB. This report will be amended pending comletion of the investigation.
Initial report submitted by inspector colby barron, Spokane FSDO.
10/14/2015: Amendment by inspector mark e. durham, Spokane FSDO who verified control continuity with the NTSB on September 9, 2015: control continuity was checked by the NTSB and FAA. Left wing aileron cables were verified as installed and routed correctly. Right wing aileron cables were verified as installed incorrectly by part number tags and accident markings. The right wing aileron cables were also routed incorrectly at the wing root so both ailerons would go up at the same time and down at the same time but at different rates.
Multiple signature marks on the left bellcrank pulley flange indicate the aileron actuator pin was out of its hole in the bellcrank in flight.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT REPORTED DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF. GAINED CONTROL AND WAS ABLE TO TURN AIRCRAFT BACK TOWARDS FELTS FIELD AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES OUT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND, RIGHT WING STAYED LOW AND PILOT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND NEAR MID-FIELD. AIRCRAFT MADE AN ABRUPT 180 DEGREE RH TURN AND IMPACTED THE RIVER.
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION BY FAA AND NTSB. THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED PENDING COMLETION OF THE INVESTIGATION.
INITIAL REPORT SUBMITTED BY INSPECTOR COLBY BARRON, SPOKANE FSDO.
10/14/2015: AMENDMENT BY INSPECTOR MARK E. DURHAM, SPOKANE FSDO WHO VERIFIED CONTROL CONTINUITY WITH THE NTSB ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2015: CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CHECKED BY THE NTSB AND FAA. LEFT WING AILERON CABLES WERE VERIFIED AS INSTALLED AND ROUTED CORRECTLY. RIGHT WING AILERON CABLES WERE VERIFIED AS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY BY PART NUMBER TAGS AND ACCIDENT MARKINGS. THE RIGHT WING AILERON CABLES WERE ALSO ROUTED INCORRECTLY AT THE WING ROOT SO BOTH AILERONS WOULD GO UP AT THE SAME TIME AND DOWN AT THE SAME TIME BUT AT DIFFERENT RATES.
MULTIPLE SIGNATURE MARKS ON THE LEFT BELLCRANK PULLEY FLANGE INDICATE THE AILERON ACTUATOR PIN WAS OUT OF ITS HOLE IN THE BELLCRANK IN FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.