# NTSB MIA01LA213: Avid Mk-4, N567SM, Salisbury, NC, August 9, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 9, 2001, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Salisbury, NC - Coordinates: 35.659378, -80.48069 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6594&lon=-80.4807&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report October 23, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 52990 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01LA213 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52990/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA213 ## Probable cause , An aileron control system failure during climb due to an improper welded installation by the aircraft homebuilder, resulting in an inflight loss of lateral control, and an inflight collision with the terrain during an uncontrolled descent and landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, climb - maintenance,installation - improper, other person (cause) - flt control syst,aileron control cable/rod - improper/poor weld (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, climb - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis According to the pilot, after performing suitable taxi testing and a low level air taxi over the runway, he determined the newly finished home built was ready for flight. On climb out while performing a left turn to remain in the landing pattern, the pilot lost all aileron response, and elected to attempt an off airport landing using pitch, rudder, and power control. The landing to a vacant field caused substantial damage to the aircraft and fractured the pilot's ankle. FAA examination of the wreckage revealed failure of the push-pull rod for the aileron control at the aft bell crank connection due to a faulty weld. The threaded rod-end appeared to have separated where it was welded into the hallow tube coming from the control yoke assembly. ## Factual narrative On August 9, 2001, about 1530 eastern daylight time, an experimental, Avid Mark IV, N567SM, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in the vicinity of Salisbury, North Carolina, Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, received serious injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight originated about 10 minutes before the accident. According to the pilot, the flight was the first for the newly completed homebuilt. After suitable taxi runs and an air-taxi at about 30 to 50 feet agl, down runway 20, using the controls in all axes, the pilot deemed the aircraft ready for its first flight. After takeoff, as the pilot attempted to level out his left crosswind turn in the landing pattern, the aircraft did not respond to aileron inputs, although the pilot did have rudder response. Using only pitch, rudder, and power control, the pilot managed to enter a left shallow spiral that resulted in a controlled collision with the terrain about 1/2 mile from the runway. Unfortunately, the slide after terrain collision encountered a railroad berm and contributed to additional aircraft damage. According to an FAA inspector, examination of the wreckage revealed a broken weld that should have secured a threaded rod-end stud to the flight control rod mixer unit. The mixer unit is designed to coordinate inputs from the pilot's and copilot's flight control columns, (sticks) to the ailerons and flapperons of each wing, and is located under and behind the cockpit seats. The threaded stud was designed to be permanently welded to the aileron rod-ends and to afix the rod-ends of the aileron/flapperon control rods to the mixer unit. A photograph of the separation is an attachment to this report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N567SM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N567SM-2005-05-06), registration cancelled 2005-05-06, S/N 1401, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Avid Aircraft Mk-4 - Registry model: [Lemon Richard AVID MARK IV](https://openairdocs.org/model/lemon-richard-avid-mark-iv) (registry code 05610Y5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Subaru ALL MDLS A/B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/subaru-all-mdls-a-b) (registry code 59050, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1401 - Airframe hours: 0 - Engines: Subaru EA-81 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael K. Melvin - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, August 8, 2001, 0 hours before - Departed: RUQ, Salisbury, NC - Airport: RUQ, Rowan County, runway 20, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 20, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 330 total, 0 in this make and model, 330 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 4 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 97 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: RUQ, 1 nm away ## 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 20010809027139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010809027139A), Aug 9, 2001: Amtr AVIDMARKIV, Salisbury, NC, No damage. (-23) Experimental first flight departed runway 20 at ruq, at approximately 1515 EDT on 08-09-2001. After initiating a normal departure a left turnout was… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.