Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Liberty Hill, Texas 78642
Sunday, August 13, 2000 19:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During cruise flight, the pilot felt a bump and the airplane began a level turn to the left. He applied right rudder; however, the airplane continued to turn left. The pilot further reported that the airplane went under some wires prior to impacting trees. Flight control continuity was established to all flight controls; however, the tab where the left rudder cable attaches to the torque tube arm for the left rudder pedal was found damaged. The torque tube arm was located just inside of where the pilot's right foot would rest. The pilot stated that he "placed his right foot on the [left rudder] torque tube arm and not on the right rudder. This caused the start of the left yaw. I then pushed hard on the torque tube arm and this caused the [airplane] to flat spin to the left, spin recovery did not occur because I was holding the left rudder all the way to the ground."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadvertent activation of the left rudder control, which resulted in a loss of control while in cruise flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LIBERTY HILL
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78642
Event Date Year 2000
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 100
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 10505
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Aug 14 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 19 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33783
NTSB Number FTW00LA230
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 Aeronca
Aircraft Model 65-CA
Aircraft Series Identifier 65-CA
Aircraft Serial Number CA-13531
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 Apr 16 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 3020
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID M. SCUETZEBERG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 301 HULING BND
Aircraft Owner City LIBERTY HILL
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78642
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 2KL
Departure City SUNRISE BEACH
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 25 2001 4:00AM
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 --