What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
September 26, 2026, aircraft privacy data omitted A1937 Fairchild 24 h landed at Eagle Creek Airpark (keye).
The aircraft had touched down on runway 03 without issue, during rollout, after the tailwheel settled, it veered sharply to the right, departed the runway into the grass, and struck a hill the landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft came to rest.
A physical inspection revealed a clicking noise in the pilot's side floorboard. Removal of the floorboard it was discovered that the left rudder and brake bell crank was catching on a bent bracket. This bracket chafed into the bell crank, creating a groove that caused the pedal to stick intermittently. While not the sole cause, this sticking rudder pedal could have contributed to the accident by causing the pilot to over correct during rollout. This report will be amended if futher contributing factors are discovered in the future.
As the FAA filed it
SEPTEMBER 26, 2026, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A1937 FAIRCHILD 24 H LANDED AT EAGLE CREEK AIRPARK (KEYE).
THE AIRCRAFT HAD TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 03 WITHOUT ISSUE, DURING ROLLOUT, AFTER THE TAILWHEEL SETTLED, IT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS, AND STRUCK A HILL THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.
A PHYSICAL INSPECTION REVEALED A CLICKING NOISE IN THE PILOT'S SIDE FLOORBOARD. REMOVAL OF THE FLOORBOARD IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT RUDDER AND BRAKE BELL CRANK WAS CATCHING ON A BENT BRACKET. THIS BRACKET CHAFED INTO THE BELL CRANK, CREATING A GROOVE THAT CAUSED THE PEDAL TO STICK INTERMITTENTLY. WHILE NOT THE SOLE CAUSE, THIS STICKING RUDDER PEDAL COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT BY CAUSING THE PILOT TO OVER CORRECT DURING ROLLOUT. THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED IF FUTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE DISCOVERED IN THE FUTURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.