20210723011379A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-14 · Anchorage, AK · July 23, 2021

Date: July 23, 2021 · 12:00 local
Place: Anchorage, AK
Airport: Lhd Seaplane Base
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4206H
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC21LA064
Reported as: Piper PA-14
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,900 total

N4206HRegistered now · Piper PA-14S/N 14-9 · Built 1948 Airframe modelPiper PA-14 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

In cruise flight and without warning, the rudder post broke just above the top hinge. The upper part of the rudder folded over to a point just above the tail brace wires. The pilot was able to control the airplane pitch and land the aircraft safely.

As the FAA filed it

IN CRUISE FLIGHT AND WITHOUT WARNING, THE RUDDER POST BROKE JUST ABOVE THE TOP HINGE. THE UPPER PART OF THE RUDDER FOLDED OVER TO A POINT JUST ABOVE THE TAIL BRACE WIRES. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE PITCH AND LAND THE AIRCRAFT SAFELY.

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 ANC21LA064Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportAnchorage, AKThe fatigue fracture of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 1025 carbon steel rudder post, which resulted in structural failure of the rudder. Contributing to the fatigue failure was the post’s susceptibility to fatigue cracking under normal service…Jul 23, 2021 · Substantial damage