Rapid City Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rapid City, South Dakota 57701
Friday, August 29, 2003 16:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A Cessna 650 experienced a right wing aileron cable failure while in cruise flight at FL390 approximately 200 miles southeast of Rapid City, South Dakota. The pilot in command reported that with the autopilot engaged, the airplane started a gentle roll to the right. The autopilot was disengaged and a approximate 40 degree control wheel deflection to the left was made to keep the wings level. The right aileron did not seem to move with control wheel deflection. The right roll control spoiler did respond to control wheel inputs. All left control surfaces appeared to function normally. The pilots consulted all control malfunction checklists, and there were no changes noted. The pilots decided to continue to the destination. An uneventful, full-flap landing was made at Rapid City Municipal Airport. Maintenance personnel discovered a completely broken right outboard aileron cable. The right aileron cable (Part Number 6260106-25) underwent a metallurgical examination. The wire stands displayed sheared and cut ends due to pinching as if the cable came off its large diameter pulley and was pulled over a small radius and pinched. Only a few tensile cup cone fractures were found, indicating nearly all the wire strands had been sheared or cut prior to final tensile separation of the few remaining strands.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The in-flight failure of the right wing aileron cable during cruise.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/29/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1635
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Rapid City
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57701
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 440243N
Event Location Longitude 1030326W
Event Location Airport RAPID CITY REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RAP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 200
Degrees magnetic from airport 135
Airport Elevation 3204
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RAP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3204
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.33
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 9
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15421
NTSB Notification Source PIC
NTSB Notification Date Sep 5 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Rapid City, SD

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N651EJ
NTSB Number CHI03IA300
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 650
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 650-0241
Certified Max Gross Weight 22200
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 10
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jun 25 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 56.4
Airframe Hours 4705.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Fleet Capital, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address One Financial Plaza
Aircraft Owner City Providence
Aircraft Owner State RI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02903
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Three Angels Broadcasting Network
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3391 Charlie Good Road P.O. Box 220
Operator City West Frankfort
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 26896
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MWA`
Departure City Marion
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RAP
Destination City Rapid City
Destination State SD
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 5 2004 7:58AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 8701
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --