Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cleveland, Ohio 44101
Wednesday, December 14, 1994 17:09 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A LEFT BANK. PILOT CONTROL INPUT WOULD NOT CORRECT THE BANKING. THE AIRPLANE MADE TWO COMPLETE CIRCLES AND THEN IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 1/4 MILE PAST THE END OF THE DEPARTED RUNWAY. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBES, CONNECTED BY A BOLT, WERE DISCONNECTED. THE RIGHT ELEVATOR WAS JAMMED IN THE DOWN POSITION. EXAMINATION OF THE TORQUE TUBES REVEALED THE RIGHT ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE HAD A FATIGUE CRACK AROUND THE BOLT HOLE AREA ALLOWING IT TO DISCONNECT FROM THE LEFT ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE RIGHT ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE RESULTING IN THE DISCONNECTION OF THE ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBES AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/14/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1709
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CLEVELAND
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44101
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID CLE
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1463
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 14 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N59MW
NTSB Number BFO95LA021
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ELVIN N. KIER
Aircraft Model VARIEZE
Aircraft Series Identifier VARIEZE
Aircraft Serial Number 618
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 720
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WHITE, MACEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17308 OXFORD AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CLEVELAND
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WHITE, MACEY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 17308 OXFORD AVENUE
Operator City CLEVELAND
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44111
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1708
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --