Sloulin Field Int'l Apt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Williston, North Dakota 58802
Thursday, January 12, 1995 12:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN INSTRUMENT DESCENT FROM CRUISE, THE ELEVATOR TRIM CABLE FAILED. THE CREW EXPERIENCED INCREASING NOSE DOWN PITCH REGARDLESS OF INPUT. A SAFE LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY BOTH PILOTS PULLING AFT ON THE YOKE TO OVERCOME PRESSURE, AND LOWERING FLAPS AND LANDING GEAR 50 AND 20 KNOTS ABOVE THEIR RESPECTIVE OPERATING SPEEDS TO REDUCE THE TRIM FORCES AND HELP SLOW THE AIRPLANE. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE TRIM CABLE HAD BEEN INCORRECTLY ROUTED AROUND A CABLE GUIDE DURING INITIAL PRODUCTION, AND HAD NOT REACHED THE FIRST REQUIRED INSPECTION WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE DISCREPANCY TO BE DISCOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the improper installation and inadequate quality assurance inspection of the elevator trim cable during original manufacture, which resulted in fraying and failure of the cable prior to the first routine scheduled inspection of the system.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 1/12/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1220
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City WILLISTON
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58802
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SLOULIN FIELD INT'L APT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ISN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1982
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ISN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1982
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5002
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 12 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N118UX
NTSB Number CHI95IA066
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 1900D
Aircraft Series Identifier 1900D
Aircraft Serial Number UE118
Certified Max Gross Weight 16600
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 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 440
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREAT LAKES AVIATION, LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 GLBA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BIS
Departure City BISMARCK
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 1208
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ISN
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 6650
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --