What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and one passenger were in landing flare when approximately one to two feet off the ground the aircraft began a rapid ascent up to 10-15 feet high followed by a rapid descent back to impact the ground. Aircraft skidded along ground for approximately 120 feet before coming to stop. Upon investigation of aircraft, screw from elevator was found in plastic covering after backing out of screw plate connection. Most likely cause of loss of control was when screw came out and caused elevator to depart during landing flare. Aircraft maintenance inspection showed that annual occurred in December of 2015 and elevator was removed and reinstalled at this time.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE IN LANDING FLARE WHEN APPROXIMATELY ONE TO TWO FEET OFF THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A RAPID ASCENT UP TO 10-15 FEET HIGH FOLLOWED BY A RAPID DESCENT BACK TO IMPACT THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT SKIDDED ALONG GROUND FOR APPROXIMATELY 120 FEET BEFORE COMING TO STOP. UPON INVESTIGATION OF AIRCRAFT, SCREW FROM ELEVATOR WAS FOUND IN PLASTIC COVERING AFTER BACKING OUT OF SCREW PLATE CONNECTION. MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF LOSS OF CONTROL WAS WHEN SCREW CAME OUT AND CAUSED ELEVATOR TO DEPART DURING LANDING FLARE. AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE INSPECTION SHOWED THAT ANNUAL OCCURRED IN DECEMBER OF 2015 AND ELEVATOR WAS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED AT THIS TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.