# Elevator tab control system - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft systems](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0102) › [Flight control system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010227) › Elevator tab control system - NTSB code: 01022731 - Cases: 37 - In the probable cause: 35 - Fatal cases: 6 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 2 / 3 - 2009: 3 / 4 - 2010: 1 / 1 - 2011: 3 / 3 - 2012: 2 / 2 - 2013: 2 / 2 - 2014: 4 / 4 - 2015: 3 / 3 - 2016: 1 / 1 - 2017: 2 / 2 - 2018: 2 / 2 - 2019: 2 / 2 - 2020: 1 / 1 - 2021: 1 / 1 - 2023: 3 / 3 - 2024: 1 / 1 - 2025: 2 / 2 ## Defining events in these cases - [Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333): 16 cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 6 cases - [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 4 cases - [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 3 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 2 cases - [Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092): 2 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 1 cases - [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 1 cases - [Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270): 1 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t): 2 cases - [Rockwell International S-2R](https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-s-2r): 1 cases - [Piper PA-34-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200): 1 cases - [Piper PA-31P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31p): 1 cases - [Piper PA-28R-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-180): 1 cases - [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260): 1 cases - [Ryan NAVION B](https://openairdocs.org/model/ryan-navion-b): 1 cases - [Lockheed P2V-5F](https://openairdocs.org/model/lockheed-p2v-5f): 1 cases - [Alexander Schleicher K 7](https://openairdocs.org/model/alexander-schleicher-k-7): 1 cases - [Aeronca 7AC](https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-7ac): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 12 cases - [Pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022) (Aircraft): 7 cases - [Use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030) (Personnel issues): 5 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 4 cases - [Use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035) (Personnel issues): 3 cases - [Angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 2 cases - [Repair](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015) (Personnel issues): 2 cases - [Scheduled/routine inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061520) (Personnel issues): 2 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB ERA26LA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA023), Oct 23, 2025: Cessna 152 (N95005), St. Augustine, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to properly set the elevator trim prior to takeoff, which resulted in her inability to effectively control the airplane’s pitch and a collision with trees at the end of… - [NTSB ERA26LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA009), Oct 4, 2025: Cessna 182H (N1998X), Smithfield, RI, substantial damage. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel’s improper rigging of the elevator trim system, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the maintenance personnel and pilot’s failure to perform adequate post… - [NTSB ERA24FA371](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA371), Sep 8, 2024: Piper PA28R (N3757T), Vergennes, VT, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s failure to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and entering an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the… - [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. - [NTSB ERA23LA240](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA240), May 21, 2023: Cessna R182 (N182LG), Macon, NC, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly set the elevator trim before takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control during takeoff. - [NTSB CEN23LA172](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA172), May 3, 2023: Piper PA-34-200 (N28HE), Coldspring, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The stabilator trim rod assembly separated from the stabilator link assembly due to a missing connecting bolt, which resulted in the pilot’s inability to maintain pitch control of the airplane. - [NTSB ERA21FA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21FA224), May 21, 2021: Piper PA-31P (N575BC), Myrtle Beach, SC, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The mechanic’s inadvertent installation of the elevator trim tabs in reverse, which resulted in the pitch trim system operating opposite of the pilot’s input and the pilot’s subsequent loss of… - [NTSB WPR20FA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20FA072), Jan 22, 2020: Beech B36TC (N36TT), Corona, CA, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilots’ failure to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a fence at the end of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the airplane being at or over the maximum gross takeoff… - [NTSB GAA19CA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA246), May 5, 2019: Cessna 182 (N96974), Marion, IN, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's improper trim setting and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. - [NTSB GAA19CA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA185), Mar 28, 2019: Rockwell S 2R (N4250X), Hermiston, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's distraction due to a spray handle opening and his improper pitch trim setting during final approach, which resulted in an excessive pitchdown when he took his hand off the controls to… NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.