- Date
- June 1, 2002, 07:00 local (11:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cross Keys, NJ
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N753KDKarl & Dot Comp Air 7SL
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020601018199A
- Case key
- 54819
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
Fatigue fracture of the tail wheel spring, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with a ditch.
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
During a landing rollout, the homebuilt airplane's tailwheel spring fractured, and the assembly jammed the rudder. The airplane veered off the runway and came to rest in a drainage ditch. The main landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage and wings were damaged. Previous damage, including beach marks and rust, were found on the spring's fracture surfaces.
Factual narrative
On June 1, 2002, about 0700 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Comp Air 7SL, N753KD, was substantially damaged during a landing rollout at Cross Keys Airport (17N), Cross Keys, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot, two pilot-rated passengers, and one additional passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan had been filed for the flight, from Old Mans Airport (7N7), Pedricktown, New Jersey. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that during the landing rollout on runway 27, the "tail wheel broke." It then jammed into the rudder and elevator, "which caused [us] to lose our steering and control of the airplane."
One of the pilot-rated passengers stated that the "tail wheel broke and flipped up between the elevator, jamming the rudder and causing the aircraft to skid." The airplane subsequently swerved off the right side of the runway, and came to rest in a drainage ditch.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the tailwheel spring fractured and jammed the rudder. The airplane veered off the runway, the main landing gear collapsed, and the fuselage and wings were damaged. Examination of the spring revealed previous damage, including beach marks and rust on the fracture surfaces.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N753KD
- Reported as
- Karl & Dot Comp Air 7SL
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 017257SL
- Airframe hours
- 115
- Engine
- Walter 610D, 650 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Karl O. Baker
- Registered owner
- Karl and Dot, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 17, 2001 · 115 hours before
- Departed
- 7N7 · Pedricktown, NJ
- Destination
- 17N · Cross Keys, NJ
- Airport
- 17N · Cross Keys Airport, runway 27, 3,500 × 50 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 9, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,830 total · 93 in this make and model · 1,573 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- PHL, 15 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 30, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 535 KB 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.