ERA22LA198

The pilot reported that airplane had been painted and the rudder reinstalled before the accident flight. He stated that immediately after takeoff he noticed that he needed to use significant left rudder to maintain directional control. He executed a precautionary landing on the airport property, landing hard in the grass at a 45° angle to the runway. The fuselage sustained substantial damage and the nose landing gear fractured during the landing. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the rudder trim system was significantly out of rig. The pilot was unable to provide any maintenance records relating to the rudder removal and reinstallation. It is likely that the rudder and/or its trim system was installed incorrectly following the airplane’s repainting, which resulted in the pilot’s difficulty maintaining directional control and inability to make a normal landing on the runway. Although the pilot indicated that he performed the preflight checklist before takeoff, he stated that he may not have checked the control trims that are part of that checklist. It is likely that, had the pilot completed a preflight control check before the flight, he would have identified the improperly rigged rudder trim system.

On April 13, 2022, about 1415 central daylight time, a Cessna 310Q, N7733Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Selma, Alabama. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, immediately after takeoff, he needed to use significant left rudder to maintain directional control. After observing the engine monitors and noting that both engines were producing power, he held full left aileron and rudder input to maintain level flight and instructed the pilot-rated passenger to adjust the throttles to turn the airplane back to the airport for a precautionary landing. They were able to maneuver the airplane to land on the airport property, landing hard in the grass at a 45° angle to the runway. The nose landing gear fractured during landing. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The inspector also reported that the accident flight was the first flight after the airplane had been painted, and that the flight controls had been removed for the painting. Numerous placards were missing or obscured by paint, and painter’s tape was still attached in some areas. The rudder trim system was found to be significantly out of rig, and the inspectors were unable to move the rudder trim tab to the neutral position. The pilot was unable to provide any maintenance records relating to the rudder removal and reinstallation or a subsequent weight and balance check/adjustment. Although the pilot indicated that he performed the preflight checklist before takeoff, he stated that he may not have checked the control trims that are part of that checklist.