DEN93LA079

After sightseeing for about 30 minutes, the pilot initiated a right bank to return to the airport. The airplane began descending and full back pressure would not arrest the descent. The pilot leveled the wings and applied full power. The airplane impacted a river sand bar. Post-accident examination disclosed the up elevator cable was disconnected from the control horn. A bolt, several castle nuts, washers, sheet metal screws, a spacer and a remnant of a cotter pin were vacuumed from the floor of the airplane beneath the elevator control horn. The airplane had accumulated 142 hours since the last annual inspection 10 months before the accident.

On July 15, 1993, at approximately 1745 central daylight time, a Piper PA-11, N4834M, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain near Burkburnett, Texas. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the passenger was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight.

The pilot of N4834M was also an Air Force pilot stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas. The following is based on a verbal statement he gave to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector and a written statement he submitted along with his accident report. The pilot and his passenger had been flying along the Red River at about 300 feet AGL. They decided to return to their home airport at Wichita Falls, Texas. The pilot said he made a 30 to 40 degree right bank at an indicated airspeed between 55 and 60 MPH. The airplane began descending and he applied back pressure to arrest the descent. Instead, the rate of descent increased. The pilot applied left rudder, leveled the wings, and applied full aft elevator and full throttle. The descent continued until ground impact.

The passenger, an Air Force maintenance officer also assigned to Sheppard AFB submitted a written statement that read (in part): "...the pilot...made a steep diving turn. After approximately 360 degrees of turn, an immediate loss of lift was felt and the aircraft entered a nose low attitude. The wings were immediately leveled, however, altitude was not sufficient to recover from the ensuing dive. The aircraft impacted the ground in full throttle, stick aft, and nose level attitude. The aircraft seemed to be operating normally throughout the entire flight."

The FAA inspector examined the airplane after it had been taken back to the airport. The inspector reported that the bolt and castle nut that attaches the up elevator cable to the control horn was missing. A bolt, several castle nuts, washers, sheet metal screws, a spacer, and a remnant of a cotter pin were vacuumed from the floor of the airplane beneath the elevator control horn.

The airplane's maintenance records indicated the last annual inspection was performed ten months before the accident, on September 21, 1992. At the time of the accident, 142 hours had elapsed since the annual inspection.