Flying C Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbia, Missouri 65201
Sunday, October 15, 1995 13:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS 'COMING IN TO LAND' AND HAD 'STARTED TO FLARE WHEN THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER,' APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET AGL AND OVER THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD NO ELEVATOR CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AT THE BASE OF TREES JUST RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED THE TOP ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLE HAD WORKED ITS WAY OUT OF THE NICOPRESS OVAL SLEEVE FITTING WHICH HOLDS THE CABLE IN PLACE AFTER RUNNING THROUGH THE TOP ELEVATOR ACTUATOR ARM. THE ELEVATOR WAS FOUND IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION. THE AIRPLANE'S LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED 11/14/94. THE AIRPLANE HAD LOGGED 10 HOURS SINCE THAT INSPECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ELEVATOR CONTROL AS A RESULT OF THE TOP ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLE WORKING ITS WAY OUT OF A FITTING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COLUMBIA
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65201
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLYING C
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 910
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1356 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID COU
Elevation of weather observation facility 889
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1156
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) 1426
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N596WC
NTSB Number CHI96LA010
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 CROWLEY/ZENAIR
Aircraft Model ZODIAC CH-600
Aircraft Series Identifier ZODIAC CH-
Aircraft Serial Number 6-964
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 15 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 50
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EARL WAYNE CROWLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1 BOX 126AA
Aircraft Owner City CENTRALIA
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65240
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 4
Runway Length 1800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --