# NTSB ERA18LA258: Beech 35, N435RB, Georgetown, SC, September 22, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 22, 2018, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place: Georgetown, SC
- Coordinates: 33.311389, -79.320274 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3114&lon=-79.3203&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 98340
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA18LA258
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98340/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98340
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA258

## Probable cause

A loss of directional control during landing due to overstress failure of the left seat’s left rudder pedal arm clevis, which occurred as a result of manufacturing defects.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Flight control system: rudder actuator](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022722): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech V35, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022722/cases.md?model=1151538), [All aircraft, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022722/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech V35, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=1151538), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech V35, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md?model=1151538), [All aircraft, 410 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Beech V35, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=1151538), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech V35, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1151538), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

While approaching the airport for landing during an instructional flight, the airplane entered an uncommanded yaw and roll to the right and began to pitch up. The flight instructor was able to maintain some control of the airplane by applying left rudder, left aileron, and forward elevator pressure, and trimming the airplane nose-down. The instructor noticed that the airplane’s right yaw increased as the airplane's speed decreased, and it became "impossible" to maintain alignment with the runway centerline. Upon touching down on the runway, the airplane immediately veered to the right about 90° and collided with trees, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and both wings. Examination of the flight control system revealed that the left seat’s left rudder pedal arm clevis was fractured in multiple sections. Metallurgical examination identified cracks and voids created during the casting (manufacturing) process. The presence of these voids, cracks, and oxide layers reduced the cross-sectional area that could withstand the force applied over the pedal arm clevises. Once a high enough load input was applied to the pedal arm, the remaining material fractured in overstress. The separation of the pedal arm from the pushrod subsequently resulted in a failure of the rudder control system. Review of the airframe logbooks revealed that the rudder pedal arm was original to the airplane and had accrued a total of 6,203.62 flight hours.

## Factual narrative

On September 22, 2018, about 1515 eastern daylight time, a Beech V35 airplane, N435RB, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Georgetown, South Carolina. The flight instructor and the private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor stated that he was providing instruction to the pilot for a complex/high performance endorsement. They flew for about 30 minutes before returning to the airport, and the flight instructor took control of the airplane so the pilot could get a drink of water. During that time, the airplane entered an uncommanded yaw and roll to the right and started to pitch up, and the instructor confirmed with the pilot that he was not touching the controls. The instructor was able to maintain some control of the airplane by applying left rudder, left aileron, and forward elevator pressure. He also trimmed the elevator nose down, which helped relieve some of the airplane’s right-turning tendency. As he prepared to land on runway 11, the instructor noticed that the right yaw increased as the airplane's speed decreased. As the airplane slowed down to 80 mph, it became "impossible" to maintain alignment with the runway centerline and the airplane began to drift to the right. Once the airplane touched down, it immediately veered to the right about 90° and collided with trees, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and both wings. Postaccident examination of the flight control system revealed that the left seat’s left rudder pedal arm clevis was fractured in multiple locations. Metallurgical examination of the fractured pieces identified cracks and voids created during the casting (manufacturing) process. The presence of these voids, cracks, and oxide layers reduced the cross-sectional area that could withstand the force applied over the pedal arm clevises. Once a high enough load input was applied to the pedal arm, the remaining material fractured in overstress. The separation of the pedal arm from the pushrod subsequently resulted in a failure of the rudder control system. Review of the airframe logbooks revealed that the rudder pedal arm was original to the airplane, installed at the time of manufacture in 1966. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued a total of 6,203.62 flight hours.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N435RB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N435RB-2021-07-31), registration cancelled 2021-07-31, S/N D-8355, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Beech 35 (V35)
- Registry model: [Beech V35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-v35) (registry code 1151538) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: D-8355
- Year built: 1966
- Airframe hours: 6203.62
- Engines: Continental Motors Inc IO-520-BA2 270 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, October 16, 2017, 159 hours before
- Departed: GGE, Georgetown, SC
- Destination: GGE, Georgetown, SC
- Airport: GGE, Georgetown Co., runway 11, 4,539 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 76; injuries: minor; commercial, private, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 30,000 total
- Pilot; age 38; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 14, 2018; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 60 total, 2 in this make and model, 35 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: GGE

## 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 20180922016409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180922016409A), Sep 22, 2018: Beech V35, Georgetown, SC, Substantial damage. During a training flight a pop was heard and the aircraft started experiencing flight control problems. Aircraft started uncommanded roll to the right. The…

## Docket (8 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98340. 21.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9017475&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20%20%20%20N435RB%20%20%20Jim%20Troutman_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Written statement - CFI (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9017484&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Written%20Statement%20-%20CFI_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Written statement - pilot receiving instruction (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9017365&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wilder%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 799 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9016948&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf
- Maintenace records - last airplane annual inspection (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9289162&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Last%20Annual%20Pics_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Materials laboratory factual report (item 6, PDF, 22 pages, 30 photos, 11.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=8929852&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=19-081%20-%20Materials%20Lab%20Factual%20Report%20(ERA18LA258)-Rel.pdf
- Evidence control form (GPS and logbooks) (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9288948&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ECFs%20Combined-Rel.pdf
- NTSB evidence control form - rudder assembly parts (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9577259&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Evidence%20Control%20Form%20-Parts%20from%20the%20LAB-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.

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