Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Stebbins Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Stebbins, Alaska 99671
Tuesady, May 15, 2001 15:34 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The solo certificated commercial pilot was departing for another airport about 5 miles away. During the takeoff roll, as the airplane's airspeed approached 60 knots, the pilot applied aft control yoke pressure to rotate the nose of the airplane. When the desired pitch angle for takeoff was attained, she released the back pressure, but the yoke failed to move forward. The airplane then pitched-up uncontrollably, and she disengaged the electric trim, as she was concerned about a runaway trim condition. She regained control of the airplane, noted that she had very limited aileron and elevator range of motion available, and elected to continue straight ahead to her next scheduled stop. She added that she tried to transmit a "mayday" to other airplane’s in the area, but the radio transmit button, located on the pilot's control yoke, was now inoperative. During the short flight, she was able to adjust the altitude and airspeed by adjusting engine power. During approach to the accident airport, while using a combination of engine power, rudder, and the remaining amount of aileron control, she was able to maneuver the airplane for landing on runway 05. As the airplane passed over the approach end of the runway, she attempted to flare just before touchdown. The nose of the airplane failed to rise, and the nose wheel struck the gravel-covered runway. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane bounced off the right side of the runway. A postaccident examination of the control yoke mechanism, behind the instrument panel, revealed that a wiring harness had become entangled in a series of roller bearings associated with the control yoke mechanism. A subsequent inspection revealed that the accident airplane's control column did not have a required STA-Strap, part number S-2209-2, installed. The proper installation of the required STA-Strap would provide proper clearance between the wiring harness, and the control yoke roller bearings. The roller bearing assembly was disassembled, and the entangled wiring harness was removed. The correct length for the factory installed wiring harness is 49 inches. The wiring harness that was removed from the roller bearing assembly measured at 34 inches. A review of the airplane's maintenance history disclosed no maintenance activity concerning the control yoke assembly. A review of the FAA's aircraft registry database disclosed that the operator owned the airplane for about 11 years. The airplane had been added to the operator's Approved Aircraft Inspection Program (AAIP), on February 11, 2001. In order for an airplane to be initially placed on the AAIP, it must be inspected in accordance with AAIP Events1, 2, 3, and 4. According to the operator's AAIP inspection schedule, an inspection of the control wheels, columns, pulleys, and cables, for condition is required during the Event 4 inspection.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A jammed control yoke during landing, an entangled wiring harness, and inadequate maintenance by company personnel. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's inability to flare the airplane during landing, due to the mechanical malfunction.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/15/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1534 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Stebbins |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99671 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 633000N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1621600W |
| Event Location Airport | STEBBINS |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | WBB |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11620 |
| NTSB Notification Source | |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 15 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1625 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 21 2002 10:26AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Anchorage FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N756DJ |
| NTSB Number | ANC01LA057 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 206 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 20604005 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 9 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 7.3 |
| Airframe Hours | 8393.9 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Warbelow's Air Ventures, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 60649 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fairbanks |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99706 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | WVBA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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/Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 5S8 |
| Departure City | St. Michael |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1500 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | WBB |
| Destination City | Stebbins |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - flare/touchdown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 4 2002 2:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 05 |
| Runway Length | 3000 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |