- Date
- September 22, 1990, 14:46 local (18:46 UTC)
- Place
- Morrisville, NC
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N619AVFairchild SA 227
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900922048989I
- Case key
- 8162
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
The fatigue failure of the rudder trim control rod end.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise flight at 3000 feet altitude, the pilot experienced a complete loss of rudder control for about 20 seconds. Afterward he could feel continuous motion in the rudder through the pedals, therefore the pilot reduced his airspeed from 180 knots to an airspeed which allowed for less rudder vibration. An emergency was declared and the flight landed safely. Subsequent examinations disclosed that the rudder trim tab control rod end failed in fatigue. According to FAA records, other control failures were reported which prompted the issuance of an emergency airworthiness directive to prevent the possible loss of control of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N619AV
- Reported as
- Fairchild SA 227
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AC 619
- Engine
- Garrett TPE 331-11U, 1,000 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Amr Eagle, Inc
- Departed
- RDU · Raleigh, NC
- Destination
- RIC · Richmond, VA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 900 in this make and model · 180 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- RDU, 3 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.