# Rudder - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01) › [Aircraft structures](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0103) › [Empennage structure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/010355) › Rudder - NTSB code: 01035540 - Cases: 15 - In the probable cause: 12 - Fatal cases: 3 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035540/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035540/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035540 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2010: 0 / 1 - 2013: 0 / 1 - 2015: 2 / 2 - 2016: 1 / 1 - 2017: 1 / 1 - 2018: 0 / 1 - 2019: 2 / 2 - 2020: 2 / 2 - 2021: 1 / 1 - 2023: 1 / 1 - 2024: 1 / 1 - 2025: 1 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333): 5 cases - [Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337): 3 cases - [Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901): 2 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 2 cases - [Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338): 1 cases - [Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300): 1 cases - [Inflight upset](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/271): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161): 2 cases - [American Champion 7ECA](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-7eca): 2 cases - [Piper PA-14](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-14): 1 cases - [Piper PA-12](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12): 1 cases - [Cessna 207](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-207): 1 cases - [Beech 95](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95): 1 cases - [Central Ohio Dragonfly Clubllc DRAGONFLY-C](https://openairdocs.org/model/central-ohio-dragonfly-clubllc-dragonfly-c): 1 cases - [Levon G King VANS RV9A](https://openairdocs.org/model/levon-g-king-vans-rv9a): 1 cases - [Ortiz-Rivera Luis Ramon PARSONS TWO PLACE #1](https://openairdocs.org/model/ortiz-rivera-luis-ramon-parsons-two-place-1): 1 cases - [Barnett Allen S RV7](https://openairdocs.org/model/barnett-allen-s-rv7): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 4 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 3 cases - [Animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045) (Environmental issues): 2 cases - [Attach fittings (flt controls)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035550) (Aircraft): 2 cases - [Vertical stabilizer](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035530) (Aircraft): 2 cases - [Tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015) (Environmental issues): 1 cases - [Thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03033010) (Environmental issues): 1 cases - [Temp/humidity/pressure, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031000) (Environmental issues): 1 cases - [Conditions/weather/phenomena, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000) (Environmental issues): 1 cases - [Sloped/uneven terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017) (Environmental issues): 1 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB CEN25LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA086), Jan 16, 2025: American Champion 7ECA (N798L), Longview, TX, incident, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the lower hinge barrel due to fatigue cracking. Contributing to the failure of the lower hinge barrel was increased stress from end face contact likely associated with worn bushings or… - [NTSB CEN24LA162](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA162), Apr 12, 2024: American Champion 7ECA (N793L), Longview, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The rudder post’s failure due to corrosion fatigue. Contributing to the accident were the misalignment of the rudder hinge components, which produced mechanical binding and elevated localized stress,… - [NTSB WPR24LA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA038), Nov 18, 2023: Beech 95 (N2024C), Yuma, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: Aeroelastic flutter of the rudder control surface during the takeoff initial climb for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in the fracture of the… - [NTSB ANC21LA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA064), Jul 23, 2021: Piper PA-14 (N4206H), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The fatigue fracture of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 1025 carbon steel rudder post, which resulted in structural failure of the rudder. Contributing to the fatigue failure was the… - [NTSB CEN20LA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA294), Jul 20, 2020: Rockwell S2R (N1662S), Harlan, IA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The fatigue fracture of the upper rudder hinge that resulted in a partial separation of the rudder from the airplane during a spray pass. - [NTSB ANC20LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC20LA059), Jun 8, 2020: Piper PA 12 (N3188M), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The fatigue fracture of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 1025 carbon steel rudder post, which resulted in structural failure of the rudder. Contributing to the fatigue failure was the… - [NTSB ERA20LA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA051), Dec 8, 2019: Parsons Two Place #1 (N446PS), Naguabo, PR, substantial damage. Probable cause: A failure of the rudder attachment bolt, which resulted in the rudder’s subsequent inflight separation from the fuselage. - [NTSB GAA19CA383](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA383), Jun 25, 2019: Piper PA28 (N5697V), Milton, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's intentional overapplication of rudder to avoid a ditch during landing with a tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion and landing gear collapse. - [NTSB GAA18CA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA154), Feb 25, 2018: Cessna 207 (N1658U), Newtok, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to properly check that the flight controls were correctly configured before… - [NTSB WPR17FA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA134), Jun 27, 2017: Jordan John RV7 (N731RV), Arlington, AZ, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The inflight overstress separation of the vertical stabilizer and rudder during flight which resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain airplane control. Contributing to the accident was an… 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.