- Date
- April 12, 2011, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Davenport, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N701YBDelf Tim Zenith CH-701
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Flight control sys malf/fail
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110412004929A
- Case key
- 78848
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The improper installation of the rudder cable to rudder pedal attachment hardware.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
Prior to the flight, the pilot performed a preflight inspection, but he did not inspect the rudder pedals and rudder cable attachments. During takeoff, approximately 50 feet above ground level, the pilot felt something unusual with the left rudder pedal. The airplane immediately veered to the right, and the pilot initiated a climb in an attempt to troubleshoot the problem. Unable to determine what happened, the pilot maneuvered the airplane back to the airport. The airplane was difficult to control to the left and he determined he had to make a landing on the grass adjacent to the runway. During the landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the bolt/nut hardware that connected the left rudder cable to the rudder pedal had separated, and the cable became disconnected from the pedal. The nut, which is to be secured by a cotter pin, backed off of the bolt. The bolt and nut were found within the airplane. The experimental amateur-built airplane had accumulated approximately 19 hours of flight time, at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
Prior to the flight, the pilot performed a preflight inspection, but he did not inspect the rudder pedals and rudder cable attachments. During takeoff, approximately 50 feet above ground level, the pilot felt something unusual with the left rudder pedal. The airplane immediately veered to the right, and the pilot initiated a climb in an attempt to troubleshoot the problem. Unable to determine what happened, the pilot maneuvered the airplane back to the airport. The airplane was difficult to control to the left and he determined he had to make a landing on the grass adjacent to the runway. During the landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the bolt/nut hardware that connected the left rudder cable to the rudder pedal had separated, and the cable became disconnected from the pedal. The nut, which is to be secured by a cotter pin, backed off of the bolt. The bolt and nut were found within the airplane. The experimental amateur-built airplane had accumulated approximately 19 hours during Phase 1 at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N701YB
- Reported as
- Delf Tim Zenith CH-701
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 74495
- Airframe hours
- 19
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Delf Tim
- Registered owner
- Delf Tim
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 11, 2011
- Departed
- DVN · Davenport, IA
- Destination
- DVN · Davenport, IA
- Airport
- DVN · Davenport Municipal Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 15, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 24 in this make and model · 1,090 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 354 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.