# NTSB DFW06CA158: Ayres S2R-600, N70AF, Childress, TX, June 1, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 1, 2006, 13:06 local (18:06 UTC) - Place: Childress, TX - Coordinates: 34.433612, -100.286109 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4336&lon=-100.2861&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Lubbock FAA?FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63890 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW06CA158 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63890/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06CA158 ## Probable cause The pilot's inability to maintain directional control while landing due to the failure of the rudder horn due to corrosion. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, maneuvering - aerial application - flight control,ruddervator attachment - corroded (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not possible, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - vehicle ## Analysis While in cruise flight, the 19,620-hour commercial pilot lost control of the rudder pedals and experienced trouble maintaining directional control of the single-engine, turbine powered agricultural airplane. The pilot reported that "he dumped his chemical load at a safe location" and elected to discontinue the aerial application flight. The pilot proceed to a larger airport for a landing. The pilot added that he made several attempts to land as he was having trouble keeping the airplane aligned with runway 35 unless he maintained a much higher than normal airspeed on final approach. On his final attempt, the pilot was able to land, but as the airplane slowed down, it veered off the right side of the 5,949-foot long, by 75-foot wide asphalt runway. Following the loss of control, the left wing of the airplane collided with a tractor. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane and found that the rudder horn was corroded and had completely separated. According to the pilot, the rudder horn is covered by fabric and it was difficult to inspect during a preflight inspection. The pilot added that even though the operator has a procedure in place to wash the airplane after spraying corrosive chemicals, he suggested that somehow chemicals had made contact with the rudder horn which caused the corrosion. At the time of the last 100 hour inspection, which was completed less than 11 days prior to the mishap, the tailwheel-equipped airplane had accumulated a total of 11,107.8 hours since new. The wind at the time of the accident was reported from 030 degrees at 8 knots. ## Factual narrative While in cruise flight, the 19,620-hour commercial pilot lost control of the rudder pedals and experienced trouble maintaining directional control of the single-engine, turbine powered agricultural airplane. The pilot reported that "he dumped his chemical load at a safe location" and elected to discontinue the aerial application flight. The pilot proceed to a larger airport for a landing. The pilot added that he made several attempts to land as he was having trouble keeping the airplane aligned with runway 35 unless he maintained a much higher than normal airspeed on final approach. On his final attempt, the pilot was able to land, but as the airplane slowed down, it veered off the right side of the 5,949-foot long, by 75-foot wide asphalt runway. Following the loss of control, the left wing of the airplane collided with a tractor. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane and found that the rudder horn was corroded and had completely separated. According to the pilot, the rudder horn is covered by fabric and it was difficult to inspect during a preflight inspection. The pilot added that even though the operator has a procedure in place to wash the airplane after spraying corrosive chemicals, he suggested that somehow chemicals had made contact with the rudder horn which caused the corrosion. At the time of the last 100 hour inspection, which was completed less than 11 days prior to the mishap, the tailwheel-equipped airplane had accumulated a total of 11,107.8 hours since new. The wind at the time of the accident was reported from 030 degrees at 8 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N70AF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N70AF), registered now, S/N 2547R, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ayres S2R-600 - Registry model: [Ayres S2R-600](https://openairdocs.org/model/ayres-s2r-600) (registry code 0970102) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-1340-an-1) (registry code 51612, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2547R - Engines: Garrett TPE-331 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Goff's Flying Service - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: 3F6, Paducah, TX - Destination: CDS, Childress, TX - Airport: CDS, ChildressMunicipal Airport, runway 040 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2; flight hours: 19,620 total, 2,540 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: CDS 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.