# NTSB CEN21LA033: American Champion 7ECA, N790L, Longview, TX, October 7, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 7, 2020, 15:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Longview, TX - Coordinates: 32.384, -94.7115 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3840&lon=-94.7115&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 102206 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA033 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102206/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102206 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA033 ## Probable cause The improper installation of a clevis pin in the rudder system which led to a loss of directional control during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel; cases with it: [American Champion 7ECA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=2120003), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md) - [Flight control system: rudder control system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022720): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect service/maintenance; cases with it: [American Champion 7ECA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022720/cases.md?model=2120003), [All aircraft, 93 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022720/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [American Champion 7ECA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2120003), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during the landing, when he attempted to input right rudder to correct for a left turn, the right rudder pedal moved full forward and prevented use of the right rudder or right brake. The airplane continued to turn left, exited the runway, and impacted a ditch resulting in substantial damage. After the accident it was found that the clevis pin that secured the rudder pedal to the top of the brake master cylinder had disconnected. The clevis pin was later found in the belly of the airplane. The cotter key that should have been installed to secure the clevis pin was not found, indicating that the cotter key likely was not installed. The most recent maintenance performed on the rudder pedals was about 1 year earlier and the airplane had accumulated about 500 hours since that maintenance was performed. Based on the evidence, it is likely that when maintenance was performed on the rudder pedals 1 year earlier the installation of the retaining cotter key was not accomplished by maintenance personnel. This error did not manifest until the clevis pin eventually worked loose and prevented the use of the right rudder and brake during the landing roll and resulted in the loss of directional control. ## Factual narrative On October 7, 2020, about 1550 central daylight time, an American Champion Aircraft model 7ECA, N790L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Longview, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 maintenance flight. The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to break-in the freshly overhauled engine. The flight lasted about 2 hours before he returned to the airport to land. Upon landing, the airplane drifted to the left and the pilot attempted to correct with right rudder input. The right rudder pedal moved full forward and prevented use of the rudder or right brake. The airplane continued to the left, exited the runway, and impacted a ditch which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage near the landing gear attachment. During postaccident examination of the airplane it was discovered that the MS20392-2C19 clevis pin that attached the right rudder pedal to the right brake master cylinder had disconnected. The clevis pin was found in the belly pan of the airplane. The illustrated parts manual for the airplane showed that the clevis pin was to be secured in position with an AN380-2-2 cotter key. No cotter key was found in the airplane after the accident. A review of the aircraft maintenance records showed that the most recent maintenance performed on the rudder pedals occurred during an annual inspection on September 27, 2019. The airplane had accumulated about 500 hours since that annual inspection. The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was completed on October 2, 2020. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N790L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N790L), registered now, S/N 1408-2011, built 2011 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American Champion Aircraft 7ECA - Registry model: [American Champion 7ECA](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-7eca) (registry code 2120003) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-235-K2C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-235-k2c) (registry code 42036, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1408-2011 - Year built: 2011 - Airframe hours: 4811.4 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-K2C 115 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Letourneau University - Registered owner: Letourneau University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: Annual, October 7, 2020 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: GGG, East Texas Regional Airport, runway 18, 6,110 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Data recorder, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 22, 2020; seat: front; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 559 total, 59 in this make and model, 373 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: GGG ## 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 20201007018069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201007018069A), Oct 7, 2020: American Champion Aircraft 7ECA, Longview, TX, Substantial damage. On scene, the aircraft had already been moved into a hangar. The pilot stated that he had landed the aircraft and as he was rolling out, he tried to apply… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 14, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102206. 3.7 MB in all. - Accident photos (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 704 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11902625&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20Photo%20array-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11902438&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1%20Pilot_Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident_Incident%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Excerpt from airplane parts manual (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 767 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11902241&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ipb%201-Rel.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. --- 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.