- Date
- November 1, 1991, 11:13 local (19:13 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N93054Cessna T210L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911101048839A
- Case key
- 27491
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 inadvertent loss of control during the initial climb after takeoff that resulted from the collapse of the rudder pedal because of a worn locking pin hole in the rudder pedal stowing system, which allowed the pin to disengage.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses at the airport stated that just after the airplane lifted off runway 16R, it immediately began a very tight 360 degree turn and crashed between runway 16L and the adjacent taxiway. The pilot stated to federal aviation administration (FAA) inspectors that, after liftoff, the airplane began turning to the left and trying to dive and that he had great difficulty overriding the forces on the controls. The pilot, who is also a certified flight instructor, stated that he was flying the airplane from the right front seat. FAA inspectors examined the wreckage and found the right seat rudder pedal collapsed to the floor. The FAA inspector pulled the stowable rudder pedal into the flight position, and it locked in place. When the FAA inspector applied hand pressure to both pedals, the right pedal snapped into the retract position. He attempted this several times. The FAA inspector disassembled the pedal and found that the pin receiving hole was worn oblong, allowing the pin to disengage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N93054
- Reported as
- Cessna T210L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 60246
- Airframe hours
- 1,500
- Engine
- Continental TS10-520, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Vincent Vandenbosch
- Registered owner
- John L. Habberstad
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 10, 1991 · 36 hours before
- Destination
- SBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys, runway 16, 8,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,700 total · 56 in this make and model · 1,610 as pilot in command · 213 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.