- Date
- July 13, 2020, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cortland, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2716PPiper PA22
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Flight control sys malf/fail
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200713009089A
- Case key
- 101582
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
The mechanic’s incorrect rigging of the aileron control cables, which resulted in a reversal of aileron control inputs applied by the pilot during the takeoff. Also causal was the mechanic’s inadequate post-maintenance inspection and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and before takeoff check, which failed to detect the misrigging.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was performing a post-maintenance test flight after a "lengthy restoration" of the airplane had been completed by a mechanic, who accompanied him on the flight. After takeoff, the airplane did not respond in accordance with the pilot’s control inputs, so he elected to immediately land the airplane. The airplane impacted the ground off the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the aileron control cables had been rigged opposite of the proper orientation prescribed in the airplane’s illustrated parts catalog. Both the pilot and the mechanic stated that when they conducted flight control checks prior to the flight, they confirmed deflection of the ailerons, but that they each failed to confirm that the aileron deflection corresponded correctly to the input at the control yoke.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2716P
- Reported as
- Piper PA22 (150)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5280
- Built
- 1957
- Airframe hours
- 4,065.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 13, 2020
- Departed
- N03 · Cortland, NY
- Destination
- N03 · Cortland, NY
- Airport
- N03 · Cortland County-Chase Field, runway 24, 3,400 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- April 25, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 787 total · 188 in this make and model · 733 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 80
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KITH, 13 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 153 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.