20220403001709A

ON A WRITTEN STATEMENT PROVIDED BY THE AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^OPERATOR AND SUBSEQUENTLY VALIDATED WITH THE STUDENT PILOT AS AUTHENTIC, THE STUDENT PILOT STATES THAT ON SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2022, SHE ARRIVED AT SUGARLAND REGIONAL AIRPORT WITH THE INTENTIONS TO PERFORM TWO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS THEN LAND TO A FULL STOP. THE STUDENT PILOT INDICATED THAT SHE NOTICED SOME VERY STIFF MOVEMENTS FROM THE RIGHT RUDDER ON THE FIRST LANDING, BUT ULTIMATELY CHALKED IT UP TO AN INTENSE GUST FROM THE CROSSWIND. SHE SAID THAT THE INCIDENT TRANSPIRED AFTER HER SECOND LANDING. SHE HAD GONE FULL THROTTLE TO TAKE-OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO APPLY RIGHT RUDDER IN ORDER TO CORRECT FOR THE LEFT-TURNING TENDENCY; THE RUDDER, HOWEVER, HAD COMPLETELY LOCKED IN PLACE. WHEN SHE APPLIED MORE AND MORE PRESSURE, SHE GOT CONCERNED BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT WOULD ONLY MARGINALLY MOVE TO THE RIGHT BEFORE QUICKLY DRIFTING TOWARD THE LEFT AGAIN. SHE SAID IT TOOK HER FULL WEIGHT ON THE RIGHT RUDDER BEFORE IT, ALL AT ONCE, SLAMMED DOWN AND BEGAN TO SKID THE AIRCRAFT.

SHE ADDED THAT AT THIS MOMENT, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT RIGHT AND LEFT VERY DRAMATICALLY- THE NOSE BEGAN TO RAISE UP, AND IMMEDIATELY SHE WITHDREW THE REMAINING POWER SHE HAD IN ORDER TO KEEP FROM TAKING OFF. SHE SAID THAT SHE KNEW THIS WOULD ONLY CAUSE THE AIRCRAFT TO LOSE ITS STABILITY AND ULTIMATELY FLIP OVER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SHE HADN'T REACHED HER DESIRED AIRSPEED. TO COUNTERACT THIS, SHE APPLIED BRAKES AND TRIED TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT DOWN ENOUGH TO STOP BOTH THE SKIDDING AND FORWARD MOTION. THIS ONLY REINFORCED THAT THE RIGHT RUDDER WAS INEFFICIENT AS DESPITE HER PRESSURE APPLIED TO BOTH BRAKES, THE LEFT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT SEEMED TO RESPOND; AS SUCH THE AIRCRAFT JERKED POWERFULLY TO THE LEFT, ONTO THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.

IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH AN FAA INSPECTOR THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT THE RUDDER WAS STUCK IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION.

STATEMENT FROM THE INSTRUCTOR PROVIDED BY THE AIRCRAFT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^OPERATOR INDICATED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT WAS BRIEFED ON THE SYLLABUS-PLANNED PHASE 9, SCENARIO 4 FLIGHT, AND THEY DISCUSSED THE INTENDED SOLO MANEUVERS AND LENGTH OF FLIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT AFTER PLANNING WAS COMPLETED, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STUDENT PILOT WEATHER MINIMUMS WERE MET UPON DISPATCH, ACCORDING TO ASOS BY PHONE. INSTRUCTOR STATED, ?STUDENT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED PLANNED MANEUVERS AND RETURNED TO AIRPORT, WINDS INCREASED TO BEYOND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STUDENT PILOT MINIMUMS AND FORECAST DURING FLIGHT. STUDENT APPEARED TO LOSE CONTROL ON THE RUNWAY AFTER LANDING AND THE AIRPLANE ENTERED THE DITCH ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.?

A COPY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL TERMINAL AIR REPORT (METAR) ORIGINATED FROM THE APG-LINK TO ARCHIVED WEATHER SUBMITTED BY THE SUGAR LAND FAA CONTRACT TOWER INDICATED THAT AT 11:53 THE WIND DIRECTION WAS FROM 130 DEGREES (FROM THE SOUTH EAST) AT 10 KNOTS SUSTAINED SPEED. AT 12:53 THE WIND DIRECTION WAS FROM 130 DEGREES (FROM THE SOUTH EAST) AT 10 KNOTS SUSTAINED SPEED GUSTING TO 18 KNOTS.

THE REPORTING INSPECTOR PERFORMED AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS PARTIALLY SHEARED OFF CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL, FUSELAGE BOTTOM SKINS AND ADJACENT STRUCTURES, INCLUDING THE AREA AROUND THE RUDDER PEDALS. BOTH RUDDER PEDALS TORQUE TUBES WERE BENT AND TWO OF THE FOUR TORQUE TUBE BEARINGS BROKEN. A RUDDER PEDALS FULL TRAVEL CHECK WAS ATTEMPTED, BUT WAS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE STRUCTURE AROUND THE RUDDER PEDAL AND THE RUDDER PEDALS TORQUE TUBES AND BEARINGS, HOWEVER FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED. AT THE TIME OF THIS INSPECTION, THE REPORTING INSPECTOR WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY FOREIGN OBJECT THAT MAY RESTRICT THE RUDDER CONTROL TRAVEL, EXCEPT THE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RUDDER PEDALS ADJACENT AREA WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH POST IMPACT DAMAGE.