- Date
- September 9, 2006, 08:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- Crossville, TN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5309Parsons JN4-D Jenny Replica
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20060909031099A
- Case key
- 64490
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
A loss of control in flight due to a disconnected rudder control cable. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inability to control the roll.
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
According to the pilot he was departing from runway 26. The pilot stated that at 50 to 60 feet above ground level, the bi-plane did not seem to perform as usual, "although the engine seemed to be putting out its normal amount of power." At this time the airplane "began a rapid roll to the left." The pilot countered the roll but was not able to roll back upright. He elected to perform a forced landing to the grass to the left of the runway environment. The airplane came to rest 15 feet off the runway surface, on its right side, resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the airplane's systems, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed the left rudder cable and spring had separated from the rudder control surface. It was not established if this separation took place during the impact or prior to the accident. An examination of the remaining airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot he was departing from runway 26 (5,148 feet by 100 feet, asphalt). The pilot stated that at 50 to 60 feet above ground level, the airplane did not seem to perform as usual, "although the engine seemed to be putting out its normal amount of power." At this time the airplane "began a rapid roll to the left." The pilot countered the roll but was not able to roll back upright. He elected to perform a forced landing to the grass to the left of the runway environment. The bi-plane came to rest 15 feet off the runway surface, on its right side. The lower right wing was bent up 90 degrees at the wing root and the lower left wing was wrinkled and bent down. The upper left wing was bent and wrinkled, the outboard portion of the left elevator was crushed, and the propeller fragmented.
According to the routine aviation weather report (METAR), the winds were 130 degrees at 3 knots.
An examination of the airplane's systems, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed the left rudder cable and spring had separated from the rudder control surface. It was not established if this separation took place during the impact or prior to the accident. An examination of the remaining airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5309
- Reported as
- Parsons JN4-D Jenny Replica
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 6
- Engine
- Rotax 912UL, 81 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2006
- Departed
- CSV · Crossville, TN
- Destination
- CSV
- Airport
- CSV · Crossville Memorial Airport, runway 26, 5,418 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 34
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2004
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 267 total · 6 in this make and model · 267 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KCSV, 1 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.