# Incident 20230808015419I: Piper COMANCHE, Fullerton, CA, August 8, 2023

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 8, 2023, 14:30 local time
- Place: Fullerton, CA
- Airport: Fullerton Municipal
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8720° N, 117.9798° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8720&lon=-117.9798&mi=10
- Aircraft: N503JA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N503JA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-260 (registry code 7102406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER COMANCHE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23LA317](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA317) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230808015419I

## Narrative

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

08/08/2023- AIRCRAFT DEPART FUL R24, DEPARTED RIGHT DOWNWIND. UPON LEVELING OFF AT 2500 HEADING EAST PILOT REPORTED "YOKE STARTED TO JACKHAMMER BACK AND FORTH (PITCH)". PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARDS FUL, ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT TOWER, BUT DUE TO VIOLENT PITCHING UP AND DOWN INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED FREQUENCY, SO SQUAWKED 7700. UNSURE OF THE CAUSE OF THE VIOLENT PITCHED PILOT SHUTDOWN ENGINE BY PULLING MIXTURE AND PERFORMED DEADSTICK APPROACH AND LANDING ON R24. AIRCRAFT LANDED LONG AND SLID TO A STOP ON R24, THEN TAXIED NORMALLY TO PARKING.

PILOTS HANDS WERE SEVERELY INJURED DUE TO THE MAJORITY OF SKIN ON BOTH HANDS BEING PEELED OFF DUE TO THE VIOLENT PITCHING OF THE YOKE.

AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED ALONG WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NTSB AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BOLT THAT ATTACHES THE TRIM TAB CONTROL ROD TO THE PITCH TRIM TABS WAS MISSING, SO EITHER BROKE OR FELL OUT DURING FLIGHT. THIS ALLOWED THE TRIM TABS TO GO FULL UP TO FULL DOWN WHICH STARTED THE VIOLENT MOVEMENT OF THE STABILATOR FROM FULL UP TO FULL DOWN.

DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDES BOTH SIDES OF THE STABILATOR AND TRIM TABS WERE BENT AND/OR CRACKED, AND BOTH MAIN TIRES HAD LARGE FLAT SPOTS FROM SLIDING TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR23LA317](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA317), Aug 8, 2023: Piper PA-24-260 (N503JA), Fullerton, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of the stabilator actuator from the stabilator tab, which resulted in pitch control surface flutter and structural damage.

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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