# NTSB investigations, 2012: Flight control sys malf/fail

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR13LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA093.md): Kaufmann Vans RV-10 · Las Vegas, NV · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 31, 2012 · N104BK · Substantial damage
  > A missing elevator control assembly attachment bolt, which rendered the elevator control system ineffective and resulted in a loss of pitch control, and the pilot’s incorrect installation of the elevator control assembly.
- [NTSB WPR13LA063](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA063.md): Aerotek Pitts S-1T · Billings, MT · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 2, 2012 · N49309 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inability to maintain directional control during the landing roll because of the failure of the tailwheel support bracket.
- [NTSB ERA13LA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA069.md): Lawson J/Bowie R/Smith M CA-8 · Merritt Island, FL · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 28, 2012 · N155JD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper decision to continue a cross-country flight as a primary control (aileron) system anomaly progressively worsened. Contributing to the accident was an aileron control system anomaly, the reason for which could not be determined because the…
- [NTSB ERA13LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA052.md): Waller Charles R Rans S12-XL · Gordon, AL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 10, 2012 · N933CW · Substantial damage
  > A fatigue failure of the elevator pitch trim cable, which resulted in aerodynamic flutter of the elevator in flight and the airplane’s subsequent nose-over during the resultant precautionary landing.
- [NTSB CEN13FA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA038.md): Piaggio P180 · Boyne City, MI · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 31, 2012 · N401WS · Substantial damage
  > The select/bypass valve's failure to seal correctly because of improper shimming, which resulted in an uncommanded and uncontrollable left turn during landing. Contributing to the accident was the overhaul facility's improper overhaul of the steering manifold.
- [NTSB ENG13WA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG13WA001.md): Beech 1900 · Lyon, France · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Oct 9, 2012 · F-GOPE · No damage
  > On October 09, 2012, at 9:40 am local time, a Beechcraft 1900, F-GOPE, operated by Hex'Air, experienced a elevator trim system failure after take-off at Lyon-Saint Exupery airport(LFLL), France. A post flight inspection revealed that the elevator trim forward…
- [NTSB WPR12FA421](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA421.md): Frederick F 1 · Reno, NV · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 14, 2012 · N158CF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s operation of the airplane above the established never-exceed speed and the incorrect installation of the trim tab control horn, which resulted in the flutter of the left elevator trim tab.
- [NTSB WPR12LA407](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA407.md): Moore Edward R MXS · Borrego Springs, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 8, 2012 · N21MX · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inability to maintain control of the airplane following the loss of aileron and elevator control due to the forward flight control torque tube assembly’s detachment from the forward bearing. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate…
- [NTSB WPR12TA364](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12TA364.md): American Eurocopter AS350B3 · Sunburst, MT · Accident · No injuries · Final report · Aug 18, 2012 · N3939A · Substantial damage
  > The improper installation of the engine-to-main gearbox flex coupling, which resulted in the failure of the flex coupling and a loss of power to the rotor system during takeoff.
- [NTSB CEN12IA554](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12IA554.md): Cessna 560XL · Des Moines, IA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Aug 15, 2012 · N108EK · Minor damage
  > A temporary loss of control during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postincident examination of the autopilot, pitch trim systems, and horizontal stabilizer revealed no anomalies consistent with a loss of control.
- [NTSB ERA12LA505](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA505.md): Piper PA-22-160 · Bay Minette, AL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 13, 2012 · N9216D · Substantial damage
  > The separation of the tailwheel linkage for reasons that could not be determined because the linkage was not located, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.
- [NTSB CEN12LA525](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA525.md): Bell 214ST · Avalon, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 7, 2012 · N409SB · Substantial damage
  > Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly torque the retaining nut and install the cotter pin that secured the helicopter’s tail rotor counterweight bellcrank. Contributing to the accident was the lack of detailed maintenance records that documented…
- [NTSB WPR12LA341](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA341.md): Fairchild Hiller FH-1100 · Cody, WY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 31, 2012 · N5038F · Substantial damage
  > The failure of a tail rotor driveshaft coupling due to fatigue.
- [NTSB WPR12FA332](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA332.md): Piaggio P180 · Henderson, NV · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 28, 2012 · N146SL · Substantial damage
  > The failure of maintenance personnel to properly torque the elevator attachment hardware in accordance with the maintenance manual, which led to the detachment of the elevator. Contributing to the accident were maintenance personnel's failure to identify the…
- [NTSB WPR12CA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA293.md): Piper PA-12 · Stevensville, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 4, 2012 · N2870M · Substantial damage
  > The separation of the left rudder control cable from the rudder bellcrank, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing roll.
- [NTSB ERA12FA395](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12FA395.md): Remos Acft Gmbh Flugzeugbau Remos GX · Westminster, MD · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 15, 2012 · N206GX · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to ensure that the elevator quick-fastener was properly secured, resulting in an inflight elevator control disconnect and subsequent loss of control during the ensuing emergency landing. Contributing…
- [NTSB ERA12LA379](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA379.md): Bell 427 · Indiantown, FL · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 4, 2012 · N427AL · Substantial damage
  > The inflight collision with birds, resulting in damage to the rotor head assembly and a subsequent forced landing and rollover.
- [NTSB ERA12LA368](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA368.md): Schweizer 269C · Piney Flats, TN · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 24, 2012 · N760DA · Substantial damage
  > The mechanic’s improper maintenance of the main transmission aft pinion nut and belt drive system, which resulted in the uncoupling of the tail rotor driveshaft and the subsequent loss of helicopter control.
- [NTSB WPR12IA248](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12IA248.md): Eurocopter AS 350 B2 · Seattle, WA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · May 22, 2012 · N105TV · Minor damage
  > Failure of maintenance personnel to ensure that the tail rotor pitch change link bolt was properly secured, which resulted in an in-flight separation of the bolt and subsequent vibration.
- [NTSB ERA12LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA307.md): Rice Leo B Kitfox Series 5 · Port Canaveral, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 28, 2012 · N77LR · Substantial damage
  > Impingement of the elevator control by foreign objects (clamp, glove) left in the flight control path by the pilot/owner or maintenance personnel.
- [NTSB WPR12FA155](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA155.md): Extra Flugzeugbau EA-300 · Salinas, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 8, 2012 · N45R · Substantial damage
  > A loose portable XM-GPS antenna that migrated to the tail section of the airplane and jammed the elevator bell crank. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to account for the cockpit portable GPS antenna during preflight or postflight…
- [NTSB WPR12WA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12WA167.md): Saab 2000 · Copenhagen, Denmark · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Mar 20, 2012 · SE-LOM · No damage
  > On March 20, 2012, about 0610 UTC, a Saab 2000, registered in Sweden as SE-LOM, experienced an elevator flight control malfunction during landing at Copenhagen Airport (EKCH), Denmark. None of the three flight crew or 47 passengers were injured. The airplane…
- [NTSB ERA12IA237](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12IA237.md): Piper PA-32R-300 · Warrenton, VA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Mar 14, 2012 · N1358H · No damage
  > Maintenance personnel's failure to identify stress corrosion cracking in the stabilator control cable during the most recent inspection, and the subsequent failure of the cable on the flight after the inspection.
- [NTSB ERA12CA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA215.md): Cessna 140A · Mooresville, NC · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 6, 2012 · N5693C · Substantial damage
  > The separation of the left rudder cable turnbuckle and the pilot’s subsequent loss of directional control during landing.
- [NTSB WPR12LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA107.md): Bell AH-1F · Coolidge, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 1, 2012 · N197LE · Substantial damage
  > A flight control malfunction while maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB DCA12CA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA12CA042.md): Embraer EMB120 · Iliamna, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 16, 2012 · N1110J · Substantial damage
  > the maintenance personnel's failure to install the cotter pins that secured castellated nuts on the left elevator vertical hinge bolts, which resulted in the left elevator partially detaching in flight. Contributing to the accident was the failure of…
- [NTSB ERA12LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA150.md): M-Squared Breese 2 · Bayou La Batre, AL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 19, 2012 · N582MS · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the rudder control system did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded control of the airplane.
- [NTSB DCA12FA024](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA12FA024.md): Bell 214 · Camp Bastion, Afghanistan · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 16, 2012 · N5748M · Destroyed
  > the overtravel of the collective sleeve, which led to a severe and sudden reduction in main rotor blade collective pitch, resulting in a loss of control of the helicopter. The reason for the collective sleeve overtravel could not be determined since much of…
- [NTSB CEN12LA120](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA120.md): Continental Copters 47G2 · Lohn, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 1, 2012 · N9021R · Substantial damage
  > The improper installation of the tail rotor gearbox by maintenance personnel, which led to accelerated wear of the ring and pinion gears, resulting in the loss of tail rotor effectiveness and subsequent forced landing.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE year(c."eventDate") = 2012
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '333' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence?year=2012

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