LAX92LA393

NTSB accident investigation · Sparks-Schreder HP-140V · Avenal, CA · September 18, 1992

Accident · FatalLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 18, 1992, 16:15 local (23:15 UTC)
Place
Avenal, CA
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N704BSparks-Schreder HP-140V
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 14, 1993
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19920918037519A
Case key
27768

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The loss of pitch and yaw control due to the separation of the ruddervator control cable from its clevis fork due to improper installation.

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.

Loss of control - in flightCruise - normal
Flt control syst,rudder control cable/rod - separationCause
Flt control syst,elevator control cable/rod - separationCause
Maintenance,installation - improperCause
Aircraft control - not possiblePilot in command
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The glider was soaring with 2 otr gliders at 4000 ft. the otr plts said the acdnt plt radioed he had a ctl prblm just bfr the glider entered a slow rotating left spiral that contd to gnd impact. The plt had no parachute. This was a kit built glider that used a v-tail ruddervator for pitch & yaw ctl. Post-acdnt exam showed that a ctl cable btn the mixing bell crank & the ctl stick floating beam on the left side had pulled out of its clevis fork shank. This precluded pitch or yaw ctl of the glider by the plt. Detailed exam of the left & rgt side cables & fittings btn the mixing bell crank & the floating beam revealed that the mixing bell crank clevis fork fittings had been properly swaged with a kearney type swaging tool. Evidence showed the floating beam end clevis fork fittings had been improperly swaged with a necopress type tool. Detailed review of maint records disclosed no record that the cables had been chgd or mdfyd since original instln. Cables (with terminal fittings already swaged on) had been supplied to the glider builder in kit form.

Aircraft

Registration
N704B
Reported as
Sparks-Schreder HP-140V
Category
Glider, amateur-built
Serial number
42
Airframe hours
131
Engine
unknown
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Malcolm D. Jessop
Registered owner
Malcolm D. Jessop
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · August 9, 1992 · 12 hours before
Departed
AVE
Destination
AVE

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
42
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Unknown
Seat
Center
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
1,221 total · 10 in this make and model · 25 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
30 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
90 °F, dew point -0 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.