What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N9667Z, an experimental-amateur-built-aircraft crashed on take off on a private airstrip in Blossom, Texas. The pilot and passenger survived with serious injuries and were taken to a hospital in paris. The dps trooper stated that the pilot reported that he lost rudder control on takeoff, the aircraft rolled on longitudinal axis and impacted the ground, destroying the aircraft and trapping the occupants.
The kit manufacturer examined the photographs of the rudder cable end and said it was not properly swaged, that it did not appear the proper tool was used. The manufacturer further stated there was no way the supplied ?go/nogo? Gauge had been used to inspect the cables. The kit instructions say to build and test the cables in accordance with ac 43.13-1B, chapter 7, section 7-148 and in this case, specifically, figure 7-14.
None of the cables had been properly assembled.
As the FAA filed it
N9667Z, AN EXPERIMENTAL-AMATEUR-BUILT-AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON TAKE OFF ON A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN BLOSSOM, TEXAS. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SURVIVED WITH SERIOUS INJURIES AND WERE TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL IN PARIS. THE DPS TROOPER STATED THAT THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LOST RUDDER CONTROL ON TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED ON LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND IMPACTED THE GROUND, DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT AND TRAPPING THE OCCUPANTS.
THE KIT MANUFACTURER EXAMINED THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE RUDDER CABLE END AND SAID IT WAS NOT PROPERLY SWAGED, THAT IT DID NOT APPEAR THE PROPER TOOL WAS USED. THE MANUFACTURER FURTHER STATED THERE WAS NO WAY THE SUPPLIED ?GO/NOGO? GAUGE HAD BEEN USED TO INSPECT THE CABLES. THE KIT INSTRUCTIONS SAY TO BUILD AND TEST THE CABLES IN ACCORDANCE WITH AC 43.13-1B, CHAPTER 7, SECTION 7-148 AND IN THIS CASE, SPECIFICALLY, FIGURE 7-14.
NONE OF THE CABLES HAD BEEN PROPERLY ASSEMBLED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.