# NTSB NYC04LA106: Cessna 182S, N518CR, Plainville, CT, April 9, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 9, 2004, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Plainville, CT - Coordinates: 41.690277, -72.864723 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6903&lon=-72.8647&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 59062 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04LA106 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59062/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=59062 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04LA106 ## Probable cause The failure of the elevator servo which resulted in restricted elevator movement and the pilot's inability to initiate a landing flare. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, climb - autopilot/flight director,servo - failure (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, emergency landing - flight control,elevator - restricted (cause) - flare - not possible, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis During the climbout, the pilot could not lower the nose of the airplane without using excessive force on the yoke. He then attempted to use the manual elevator trim wheel to lower the nose. When the manual elevator trim wheel was rolled forward, and released, it rolled back on its own to the original position. The pilot performed all of the published emergencies; however, the situation did not change. The pilot elected to discontinue the flight, and performed a forced landing back to the airport. While landing, the airplane had an excessive nose high attitude, and the pilot aggressively pushed the nose over with the yoke. The airplane touched down hard, collapsing the nose wheel assembly, and slid to a stop on the runway. The pilot further stated that he did not recall engaging the autopilot during the flight, and did not attempt to use the elevator trim switch located on the yoke. Examination of the wreckage revealed no abnormalities with the autopilot, or the flight controls when they were tested. Two days before the accident, the pilot consulted an avionics mechanic about the elevator control being stiff and difficult to move. The mechanic examined the airplane and stated that "it checked out OK, but there was a possibility that at some time, the elevator servo might jam in an unscheduled position." The pilot and mechanic agreed that the servos would be replaced at a later date. The servos were not replaced until after the accident. ## Factual narrative On April 9, 2004, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182S, N518CR, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to the Robertson Airport (4B8), Plainville, Connecticut. The certificated private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight destined for the Waterbury-Oxford Airport (OXC), Oxford, Connecticut. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he had consulted an avionics mechanic two days before the accident about the elevator control being stiff and difficult to move. The mechanic examined the airplane and stated that "it checked out OK, but there was a possibility that at some time, the elevator servo might jam in an unscheduled position." The pilot and mechanic agreed that the servos would be replaced at a later date. On the day of the accident, the pilot arrived at the airport to fly the airplane to OXC. The pilot preflighted the airplane, which included a ground test of the autopilot, and subsequently departed. During the climbout, the pilot could not lower the nose of the airplane without using excessive force on the yoke. He then attempted to use the manual elevator trim wheel to lower the nose. When the manual elevator trim wheel was rolled forward, and released, it rolled back on its own to the original position. The pilot performed all of the published emergencies; however, the situation did not change. The pilot elected to discontinue the flight, and performed a forced landing to 4B8. While landing on runway 20, the airplane had an excessive nose high attitude, and the pilot aggressively pushed the nose over with the yoke. The airplane touched down hard, and the propeller struck the runway, creasing the firewall, before sliding to a stop on the runway. The pilot further stated that he did not recall engaging the autopilot during the flight, and did not attempt to use the elevator trim switch located on the yoke. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no abnormalities with the autopilot, or the flight controls when they were tested. In a subsequent interview with the pilot, he stated that after the accident, the autopilot servos were replaced, and no abnormalities with the servos have been noted since. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N518CR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N518CR), registered now, S/N 18280281, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182S - Registry model: [Cessna 182S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182s) (registry code 2072701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 182-80281 - Airframe hours: 194 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Charles Rodie - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 9, 2004, 0 hours before - Departed: 4B8, Plainville, CT - Destination: OXC, Oxford, CT - Airport: 4B8, Robertson Airport, runway 02, 3,612 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 18, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 504 total, 194 in this make and model, 504 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 16 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.72 inHg - Observed at: HFD ## 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 20040409006379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040409006379A), Apr 9, 2004: Cessna 182S, Plainville, CT, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 9, 2004, N518CR, a Cessna 182S, experienced a hard landing on runway 2 at Plainville airport (4B8), CT after the pilot reported problems with… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2005, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=59062. 301 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 301 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403957&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.