Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Langley, Washington 98260
Friday, October 7, 1994 18:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE DESCENDING TO LAND AND BANKING TO THE RIGHT, THE ELEVATOR PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND IMPINGED UPON THE RUDDER. THE RUDDER WAS JAMMED TO THE FULL RIGHT POSITION AND AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS RENDERED IMPOSSIBLE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE AFTER ALL ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN CONTROL WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ELEVATOR HINGE ATTACH FITTING WELD HAD CORRODED FROM INSIDE AND FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CORROSION AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE ELEVATOR HINGE ATTACH FITTING WELD. THIS ALLOWED THE ELEVATOR TO BEND AND IMPINGE UPON THE RUDDER, SUBSEQUENTLY JAMMING IT TO THE FULL RIGHT POSITION AND RENDERING THE AIRCRAFT IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LANGLEY
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98260
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1745 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID PAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1860
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2064
NTSB Number SEA95LA004
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Monocoupe Aircraft
Aircraft Model 110 SPECIAL
Aircraft Series Identifier 110 SPECIA
Aircraft Serial Number A748
Certified Max Gross Weight 1610
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 29 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LUDTKE SR., FREDERICK E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1427 E. MANOR WAY
Aircraft Owner City FREELAND
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98249
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PAE
Departure City EVERETT
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code WA31
Destination City
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --