Oxnard Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oxnard, California 93030
Saturday, December 27, 2003 9:24 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane ground looped during the landing roll. After touchdown, the pilot applied right rudder and the pedal became stuck in a near full forward position. The pilot was then unable to maintain directional control and the airplane turned approximately 270 degrees on the runway and came to rest. A post accident inspection revealed that the pin that secured the right rudder pedal to the brake cylinder arm was missing. There was also evidence of aluminum shavings at the pin attachment point. An identical problem was discovered by the operator on the sister ship to the accident airplane. The pin on the sister ship was changed a few weeks before the accident. The operator intended to examine the rudder pedal pins on the accident airplane in the next scheduled maintenance period. The manufacturer of the airplane indicated that the pin can be installed either outboard or inboard of the cotter key. As depicted in Figure 26 of the Parts Manual, the installation of the pin is depicted as inboard of the cotter key. In this model of the airplane, the battery is located in the forward section of the fuselage and a structural angle brace is installed for support. On the right pedal of the forward seat, the clearance between the pin and the angle brace is reduced with the angle brace in the design location if the pin is installed inboard of the cotter key. If the pin is installed outboard of the cotter key, it allows for greater clearance between the pin and the angle brace.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the pin that secured the right rudder pedal to the brake cylinder arm due to improper installation of the pin. Also causal was the manufacturer's confusing maintenance instructions regarding the installation of the right rudder pedal pin and cotter key.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/27/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 924
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Oxnard
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93030
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 341200N
Event Location Longitude 1191200W
Event Location Airport Oxnard
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OXR
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 43
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 951 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID oxr
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.43
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) 17452
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 27 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 950
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2005 6:20AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO-Van Nuys, California

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53879
NTSB Number LAX04LA079
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bellanca
Aircraft Model 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1136-76
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 19 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1551
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CP Aviation, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 830 E. Santa Maria Street, #301
Aircraft Owner City Santa Paula
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93060
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 --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SZP
Departure City SANTA PAULA
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KOXR
Destination City Oxnard
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 7
Runway Length 5950
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --