What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
? The accident occurred on December 3, 2021; however, the FAA and NTSB were not notified of the accident until December 8, 2021. On December 8, 2021, an airplane flying in the local area observed the inverted airplane in tall grass and local law enforcement was notified.
? The pilot, stationed in the left seat, reported there was an inflight failure of the rudder system, as the left rudder pedal was stuck in the full left position on short final. The pilot reported he made sure the passenger, stationed in the right seat, did not have his feet resting on the rudder pedals.
? The left-wing lift strut, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder sustained substantial damage from the impact sequence. The nose wheel assembly and lower engine cowling sustained impact damage.
? Flight control continuity was established for the airframe. The left rudder pedal was able to be freely manipulated back and forth by hand, with no feedback, binding, resistance, or sloppiness.
? Pre-accident flight control rigging settings could not be determined due to the airframe damage sustained.
? The left- and right-wing fuel tanks were found with the fuel caps attached. The left and right fuel tanks were intact and showed no signs of being breached or any impact damage. There were no signs of a fuel leak on the airframe.
? The left- and right-wing fuel tanks were checked, via the sumps, and no fuel was found.
As the FAA filed it
? THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON DECEMBER 3, 2021; HOWEVER, THE FAA AND NTSB WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT UNTIL DECEMBER 8, 2021. ON DECEMBER 8, 2021, AN AIRPLANE FLYING IN THE LOCAL AREA OBSERVED THE INVERTED AIRPLANE IN TALL GRASS AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS NOTIFIED.
? THE PILOT, STATIONED IN THE LEFT SEAT, REPORTED THERE WAS AN INFLIGHT FAILURE OF THE RUDDER SYSTEM, AS THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL WAS STUCK IN THE FULL LEFT POSITION ON SHORT FINAL. THE PILOT REPORTED HE MADE SURE THE PASSENGER, STATIONED IN THE RIGHT SEAT, DID NOT HAVE HIS FEET RESTING ON THE RUDDER PEDALS.
? THE LEFT-WING LIFT STRUT, THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, AND THE RUDDER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE FROM THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE NOSE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND LOWER ENGINE COWLING SUSTAINED IMPACT DAMAGE.
? FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED FOR THE AIRFRAME. THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL WAS ABLE TO BE FREELY MANIPULATED BACK AND FORTH BY HAND, WITH NO FEEDBACK, BINDING, RESISTANCE, OR SLOPPINESS.
? PRE-ACCIDENT FLIGHT CONTROL RIGGING SETTINGS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO THE AIRFRAME DAMAGE SUSTAINED.
? THE LEFT- AND RIGHT-WING FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND WITH THE FUEL CAPS ATTACHED. THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS WERE INTACT AND SHOWED NO SIGNS OF BEING BREACHED OR ANY IMPACT DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF A FUEL LEAK ON THE AIRFRAME.
? THE LEFT- AND RIGHT-WING FUEL TANKS WERE CHECKED, VIA THE SUMPS, AND NO FUEL WAS FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.