Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laton, California 93242
Thursday, September 22, 1988 12:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AS PLT FLARED FOR SWATH RUN ELEV CONTROL WAS LOST. ACFT CONTACTED TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED CORROSION AND SEPARATION BETWEEN ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE AND END FITTING IN AREA SUBJECTED TO INSPECTION. THE ACFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATE THAT A REQUIRED RUDDER CABLE INSPECTION HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED ON FOUR OCCASIONS AFTER THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE ELEVATOR TORQUE TUBE AND WALKING-BELLCRANK WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPOSED DURING THOSE INSPECTIONS. THE CORROSION IN THE FITTING PUSH-PULL CONTROL TUBE WOULD HAVE BEEN DETECTABLE BY VISUAL INSPECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1210
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LATON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93242
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2191
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38702
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9946
NTSB Number LAX88DVA15
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1349
Certified Max Gross Weight 6075
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Feb 21 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 490
Airframe Hours 5212
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID R. HUGHES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5500 4TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City HANFORD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93230
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 Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City HUGHES AG STRIP
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1150
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TRAVER
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --