What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 29, 2024, the airman involved in the accident flew to kfyv to have a pitch trim issue looked at on his aircraft. While at the repair facility, the avionics technician noted a frayed pitch trim cable. The avionics technician stated during multiple interviews that the airman wasn’t concerned with the frayed pitch trim cable and would fly the aircraft to his mechanic for repair. Concerned for the airman’s safety, the avionics technician installed a 0.041 safety wire to “bridge” the area around the frayed cable in case it failed in flight. The avionics technician stated that the safety wire was installed with the pitch trim in the neutral position. The avionics technician also pulled and collared the autopilot and pitch trim circuit breakers and told the airman not to use manual trim. At approximately 1355, the airman departed kfyv to return to kcrx. During the accident flight, the pilot had communicated to ATC that he was “having trim issues” and using “all of our energy to overcome the trim”. The aircraft’s altitude and airspeed fluctuated multiple times during the flight. At approximately 1427, the aircraft descended wings level into a wooded area near Arlberg, AR. The aircraft was destroyed, and the sole occupant was fatally injured.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 29, 2024, THE AIRMAN INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT FLEW TO KFYV TO HAVE A PITCH TRIM ISSUE LOOKED AT ON HIS AIRCRAFT. WHILE AT THE REPAIR FACILITY, THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN NOTED A FRAYED PITCH TRIM CABLE. THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN STATED DURING MULTIPLE INTERVIEWS THAT THE AIRMAN WASN’T CONCERNED WITH THE FRAYED PITCH TRIM CABLE AND WOULD FLY THE AIRCRAFT TO HIS MECHANIC FOR REPAIR. CONCERNED FOR THE AIRMAN’S SAFETY, THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN INSTALLED A 0.041 SAFETY WIRE TO “BRIDGE” THE AREA AROUND THE FRAYED CABLE IN CASE IT FAILED IN FLIGHT. THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SAFETY WIRE WAS INSTALLED WITH THE PITCH TRIM IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN ALSO PULLED AND COLLARED THE AUTOPILOT AND PITCH TRIM CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND TOLD THE AIRMAN NOT TO USE MANUAL TRIM. AT APPROXIMATELY 1355, THE AIRMAN DEPARTED KFYV TO RETURN TO KCRX. DURING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAD COMMUNICATED TO ATC THAT HE WAS “HAVING TRIM ISSUES” AND USING “ALL OF OUR ENERGY TO OVERCOME THE TRIM”. THE AIRCRAFT’S ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED FLUCTUATED MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE FLIGHT. AT APPROXIMATELY 1427, THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED WINGS LEVEL INTO A WOODED AREA NEAR ARLBERG, AR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, AND THE SOLE OCCUPANT WAS FATALLY INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.