- Date
- January 19, 2008, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Arley, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2669AQuicksilver Sport 2S
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080119014339A
- Case key
- 67405
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
A malfunction of the rudder control system.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
After takeoff from a lake, the pilot of a Quicksilver Sport 2S experienced a loss of control while joining the traffic pattern. The pilot had just started a shallow right coordinated descending turn when he encountered a "loss of resistance" in his right rudder pedal. The aircraft then yawed to the right. He attempted to correct with the application of left rudder pedal, but there was no response. The pilot reduced power, applied full left aileron, and full up elevator in an attempt to arrest the descent. The airplane then impacted the water in a nose down attitude damaging the right float, right wing and right side of the fuselage. It then spun around to the right, and came to rest on the surface of the water. The pilot and passenger exited the cabin and approximately 5 minutes later the airplane sank.
Factual narrative
After takeoff from a lake, the pilot of a Quicksilver Sport 2S experienced a loss of control while joining the traffic pattern. The pilot had just started a shallow right coordinated descending turn when he encountered a "loss of resistance" in his right rudder pedal. The aircraft then yawed to the right. He attempted to correct with the application of left rudder pedal but there was no response. The pilot reduced power, applied full left aileron, and full up elevator in an attempt to arrest the descent. The airplane then impacted the water in a nose down attitude damaging the right float, right wing and right side of the fuselage. It then spun around to the right, and came to rest on the surface of the water. The pilot and passenger exited the cabin and approximately 5 minutes later the airplane sank.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2669A
- Reported as
- Quicksilver Sport 2S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0203
- Airframe hours
- 4.7
- Engine
- Rotax 582UL99, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- NONE · Arley, AL
- Destination
- NONE · Arley, AL
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 14,270 total · 2 in this make and model · 5,447 as pilot in command · 84 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 18 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- 3A1, 19 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.