Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mena, Arkansas 71953
Tuesady, August 10, 1993 19:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A SEVERE VIBRATION DEVELOPED AS THE OUTER PORTION OF THE RIGHT RUDDERVATOR AND THE COUNTER WEIGHT FOR THE LEFT RUDDERVATOR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME ON THE DOWNWIND LEG AT AN ESTIMATED 155 MPH. TURBULENCE WAS NOT ENCOUNTERED AT ANY TIME DURING THE DESCENT OR THE APPROACH. THE PILOT CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND EXTENDED THE LANDING IN AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW DOWN THE AIRPLANE. AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS MADE AT THE INTENDED AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE RUDDERVATORS REVEALED THAT BOTH RUDDERVATORS WERE OUT OF BALANCE DUE TO A COMBINATION OF UNAUTHORIZED SHEET METAL REPAIRS, IMPROPER PAINT APPLICATION TECHNIQUES, AND THE USE OF A LOCALLY MANUFACTURED COUNTER WEIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE RUDDERVATOR AS RESULT OF IMPROPER BALANCING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MENA
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71953
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID HOT
Elevation of weather observation facility 540
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 55
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3200
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) 1361
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1205
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 4:00PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5064B
NTSB Number FTW93LA236
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model F35
Aircraft Series Identifier F35
Aircraft Serial Number D-4319
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 4482
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONICA, DALTON R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O BOX 70
Aircraft Owner City HONOBIA
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74549
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 LIT
Departure City LITTLE ROCK
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1810
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:34AM
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 --