ATL95LA102

The pilot stated that he had been involved in an incident with the aircraft during a flight the previous week. He said that the aircraft veered off the runway and struck a runway sign during a landing attempt. He said the only visible damage to the airplane was a scuffed mark on the leading edge of the left lower wing. He did not have an airframe mechanic look at the airplane prior to the accident flight, and the accident flight was the first flight after the incident. During the accident flight, he said that everything was normal until about 200 feet AGL. He said the aircraft abruptly rolled to the left,and yawed to the right. He said that he could maintain straight flight with full displacement of the controls to the right, but that he could not turn to the right. He made a shallow left turn to return to the airport, but could not arrest the turn without reducing power to reduce torque. After reducing power, he could not make it back to the airport, and crashed into the terrain short of the airport. Examination revealed that there was an old fracture in the left lower wing leading edge bow, and pieces of the bow were missing.

History of flight

On June 2, 1995, at 1740 central daylight time, a Burchfield Rose Parakeet, N2125, was substantially damaged following a collision with terrain, during a forced landing near Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The airline transport pilot received serious injuries in the accident. The aircraft was being operated under the provision of 14 CFR Part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight. The flight was departing the Tuscaloosa airport at the time of the accident, and was enroute to Sylacauga, Alabama.

The tower personnel reported that the aircraft was cleared for takeoff on runway 11. They reported observing the aircraft make a left turn after departure, it appeared to be returning to land on runway 29. They attempted to give the pilot landing clearance for runway 29, but the pilot did not reply. The aircraft crashed about 300 feet short of the approach end of runway 29.

The pilot stated that, during the previous week, he lost control of the aircraft during landing. The aircraft veered off the runway, and struck a runway sign with the left wing. He stated that the only visible sign of damage was a scuffed mark on the fabric of the leading edge of the left wing about two feet inboard of the wing tip. He stated that he did not have an airframe mechanic examine the aircraft after the accident.

The pilot stated that this was the first flight of the aircraft following the above mentioned incident. He said that after takeoff, the aircraft abruptly rolled to the left, and yawed to the right. He stated that the control surfaces appeared to respond normally, but that with the stick displaced in the full right position, he could just keep the wings level. He stated that he could not turn the aircraft to the right. He executed a shallow turn to the left to return to the airport, but could not arrest the turn without reducing engine power to reduce torque. With the reduced torque, he was unable to continue to the airport, and elected to impact the terrain in controlled flight short of the airport boundary.

There was continuity of the aircraft flight controls from the control stick to the ailerons, and elevator, and from the rudder pedals to the rudder. There was no evidence of cable stretch, and the control stick was centered when the control surfaces were centered. There was continuity of the engine drive train.

Examination of the left leading edge bow revealed that there were numerous fractures in the bow, and pieces of the outboard section of the bow were missing. All of the fractures of the bow were overload fractures, and all of the fractures appeared to be fresh fractures, except for the fracture located about 24 inches inboard of the wing tip. The fracture located about 24 inches inboard of the wing tip was much darker in color than the other fractures.