# Incident 20210423001989I: Tandem Rotor LLC CH47D, Ludlow, CA, April 23, 2021

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 23, 2021, 19:30 local time
- Place: Ludlow, CA
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: H9XL
- Location: 34.7211° N, 116.1600° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Ludlow, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7211&lon=-116.1600&mi=10
- Aircraft: N949CH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N949CH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Tandem Rotor CH47D (registry code 8840351, https://openairdocs.org/model/tandem-rotor-ch47d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Honeywell T55-GA-714A (registry code 33886, https://openairdocs.org/engine/honeywell-t55-ga-714a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TANDEM ROTOR LLC CH47D
- Reported engine: HONEYWELL T55-GA-714A
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,810 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210423001989I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

APPROX 40 MIN. AFTER DEPARTING FROM FUEL STOP IN LANCASTER, CA. (KWJF) ENROUTE TO AZ, THE AIRCRAFT HAD A #2 AFCS FAULT LIGHT, AND BEGAN EXPERIENCING A "TAIL LOW" FLIGHT ATTITUDE, THAT REQUIRED FWD CYCLIC INPUT TO MAINTAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. PILOTS SWITCHED TO #1 AFCS, AND NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED BY AFT CABIN CREW MEMBERS. PILOTS THEN NOTED THAT THE AFT LCT ACTUATOR HAD FULLY RETRACTED (INDICATION IN COCKPIT). AIRCRAFT BEGAN EXPERIENCING LONGITUDINAL AXIS PROBLEMS, PITCHING FORE AND AFT. PILOTS SWITCHED OFF THE AFCS SYSTEM AND MADE AS SOON AS PRACTICAL, RUN ON LANDING, ON A DIRT ROAD, IN REMOTE ACCESS AREA, WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.

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