- Date
- October 3, 2013, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Snohomish, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N143TZVenables Zenith CH701
- Defining event
- Enroute: Flight control sys malf/fail
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- Case key
- 88173
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 jammed rudder control while maneuvering in the pattern for reasons that could not be determined. No follow-up examination was conducted due to a lapse in agency funding and subsequent government shutdown.
Findings · 3
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
The pilot reported that during a test flight the airplane encountered moderate turbulence so he decided to return to the airport for landing. While turning to the crosswind leg in the pattern, the airplane suddenly banked sharply and descended uncontrollably. The pilot was able to regain control about 500 feet above ground level, and managed to turn the airplane to the downwind leg, but he continued to have difficulty maintaining control. The pilot then decided to make an emergency off airport landing to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with obstructions and nosed over. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. After the accident, the pilot reported that the loss of aircraft control was due to a jammed rudder for undetermined reasons.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a test flight the airplane encountered moderate turbulence so he decided to return to the airport for landing. While turning to the crosswind leg in the pattern, the airplane suddenly banked sharply and descended uncontrollably. The pilot was able to regain control about 500 feet above ground level, and managed to turn the airplane to the downwind leg, but he continued to have difficulty maintaining control. The pilot then decided to make an emergency off airport landing to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with obstructions and nosed over. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. After the accident, the pilot reported that the loss of aircraft control was due to a jammed rudder for undetermined reasons.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N143TZ
- Reported as
- Venables Zenith CH701
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 7-5884
- Airframe hours
- 3
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 12, 2013 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- S43 · Snohomish, WA
- Destination
- S43 · Snohomish, WA
- Airport
- S43 · Harvey Field
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
- 72
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 223 total · 5 in this make and model · 223 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- PAE, 10 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 15, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 726 KB in all.