Ryan Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85735
Friday, November 4, 2005 8:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane made a forced landing after the horizontal stabilizer attachment failed in flight. The instructional flight departed with the intention of practicing takeoffs and landings. On the downwind leg, the pilots heard a loud bang. The airplane lurched nose up, then nose down. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft and informed the tower he had a flight control problem. He was able to land the aircraft using cross control inputs. The instructor inspected the airplane and determined that the right horizontal stabilizer had separated from the fuselage due to a stainless steel "L" bracket failure. The instructor attributed the failure to a loose bolt in the "L" bracket that allowed a vibration and caused metal fatigue of the component.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the fatigue failure of the attachment that secured the horizontal stabilizer to the fuselage.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/4/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Tucson
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85735
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 320832N
Event Location Longitude 1111028W
Event Location Airport Ryan Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RYN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2417
Weather Briefing Completeness --
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19247
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2006 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Administration - Scottsdale FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N515AB
NTSB Number LAX06CA027
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 Lee Kolb
Aircraft Model Mark III Classic
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 101553
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 May 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 545
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Roger Lee & Mike Gray
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Tucson
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85747
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Wiliam D. Fulton
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Oro Valley
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85737
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RYN
Departure City Tucson
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code RYN
Destination City Tucson
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - downwind
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2005 3:31PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 4900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --