# NTSB CEN10LA052: Piper PA-34-200T, N8297P, Saginaw, TX, November 17, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: November 17, 2009, 07:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place: Saginaw, TX
- Coordinates: 32.936668, -97.449996
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9367&lon=-97.4500&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 12, 2010
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 75063
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA052
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75063/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75063
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA052

## Probable cause

The pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane due to a pinched trim system wire that resulted in a runaway nose-down pitch trim.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Flight control system: flight control sys wiring](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022797): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022797/cases.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022797/cases.md)
- [Flight control system: elevator tab control system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731/cases.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022731/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-200T, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103406), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot said that he took off and did not engage the autopilot, but did use the electric trim switch on the control yoke to establish a climb attitude after takeoff. When he activated the trim switch, the airplane "pitched down rapidly." Despite his application of full up elevator to arrest the descent, the airplane continued to descend. The pilot was forced to make a landing in an open field. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The pitch trim drum inner shaft was found to be in the full-nose-down position. Examination of the cockpit revealed all circuit breakers were closed and the master switch had been secured. The flight computer, trim servo, directional gyro, flight command indicator, pictorial navigation indicator, and control yoke were functionally tested and no defects were noted. The original control yoke trim switch had been replaced. The switch wiring was not the original wiring and did not correspond to the original color codes on the wires. The wire colors were written on pieces of masking tape which were wrapped around each corresponding wire. One of the wires was pinched and pressing on the switch wafer stack; according to a representative of the manufacturer the pinched wire pressing on the switch wafer stack could have resulted in a runaway trim condition.

## Factual narrative

On November 17, 2009, approximately 0745 central standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T Seneca, N8297P, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Saginaw, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. The flight had just originated from Hicks Field (T67), Fort Worth, Texas, and was en route to Arlington Airport (GKY), Arlington, Texas. The pilot told FAA inspectors that he took off but did not engage the autopilot. He did use the electric trim switch on the control yoke to establish a climb attitude after takeoff. When he activated the trim switch, the airplane "pitched down rapidly." Despite his application of full back elevator to arrest the descent, the airplane continued to descend. The pilot was forced to make a landing in an open field. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. Examination of the cockpit revealed all circuit breakers were closed and the master switch had been secured. The airplane was recovered to Air Salvage of Dallas where, on December 3, 2009, it was examined by FAA and Piper officials. The pilot said the two autopilot units had been recently overhauled but "had not been aligned." According to Piper Aircraft, neither the autopilot nor the trim switch wiring were factory-installed. The pitch trim drum inner shaft was found to be in the full nose down position. The flight computer, trim servo, directional gyro, flight command indicator, pictorial navigation indicator, and control yoke were removed and sent to Honeywell in Olathe, Kansas, where, on January 13, 2010, they were examined and functionally tested. According to Honeywell's report, "No defects were observed during this inspection which [would] explain why the aircraft's pitch trim was found in the full nose down position." According to Piper, the airplane was equipped with a KFC-200 autopilot system and a KI-256 flight director. The original control yoke trim switch had been removed and a replacement switch had been installed. The switch wiring was not the original wiring and did not correspond to the original color codes on the wires. Whoever installed the switch had written the wire colors on pieces of masking tape and wrapped them around the wires. According to Honeywell, one of the wires was pinched and pressing on the switch wafer stack. Tests were inconclusive as to whether this may have caused an internal short in the switch. In an e-mail to this investigator, the Piper representative wrote: "When I spoke to [Honeywell, they] indicated that the chafing probably wasn’t an issue but the wire being pinched and pressing on the switch wafer stack might have caused an internal short in the switch."

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8297P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8297P-2010-04-19), registration cancelled 2010-04-19, S/N 34-8170042, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-34-200T
- Registry model: [Piper PA-34-200T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (registry code 7103406) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 34-8170042
- Airframe hours: 2802
- Engines: Continental TSIO-360-EB 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Glen R. Smith, Jr.
- Registered owner: Glen R. Smith, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 14, 2008, 8 hours before
- Departed: T67, Fort Worth, TX
- Destination: GKY, Arlington, TX
- Airport: T67, Hicks Field

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 25, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 26,180 total, 250 in this make and model, 18,180 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observed at: FTW

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20091117053699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091117053699A), Nov 17, 2009: Piper PA-34-200T, Fort Worth, TX, Destroyed. On November 17, 2009, a Piper PA-34-200T, N8297P, owned and operated by glen r. smith jr. departed hicks airport (T67) for a pleasure flight. Visual…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 4, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75063. 14.2 MB in all.

- NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-Operator Aircraft Accident Report (item 1, .PDF, 4.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322486&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1-2,%20Pilot-Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report-Redacted.PDF
- Honeywell's Report (item 2, .PDF, 8.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324673&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Honeywell%27s%20Report-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1. N8297P in the hangar at Air Salvage of Dallas. (item 3, .PDF, 228 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40325242&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20N8297P%20in%20the%20hangar%20at%20Air%20Salvage%20of%20Dallas.-Master.PDF
- Photo 2. Pitch trim drum inner shaft measured to be in full nose down position. (item 4, .PDF, 188 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40325243&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20Pitch%20trim%20drum%20inner%20shaft%20measured%20to%20be%20in%20full%20nose%20down%20position.-Master.PDF
- Photo 3. All circuit breakers closed. (item 5, .PDF, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40325244&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20All%20circuit%20breakers%20closed.-Master.PDF
- Photo 4. Secured master switch and other electrical switches. (item 6, .PDF, 285 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40325245&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20Secured%20master%20switch%20and%20other%20electrical%20switches.-Master.PDF
- Photo 5. Electric trim and autopilot disconnect switch wiring. (item 7, .PDF, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40325246&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205.%20Electric%20trim%20and%20autopilot%20disconnect%20switch%20wiring.-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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