Orlando North Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Zellwood, Florida 32798
Sunday, March 19, 2006 13:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot made a "normal approach" and landed on runway 09. He said that on rollout, "the aircraft began to swerve, first to the left, then to the right, then back to the left and finally swerved sharply to the right, leaving the runway and proceeding into a water filled drainage ditch that ran parallel to the runway." The airplane was later moved to a hangar. The pilot reported that post-accident examination revealed "the spring connecting the rudder to the tail wheel horn had detached."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of directional control due to the spring connecting the rudder to the tailwheel horn being detached.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Zellwood
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32798
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 284351N
Event Location Longitude 0813950W
Event Location Airport Orlando North Airpark
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FA83
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 80
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 75
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
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) 22813
NTSB Notification Source FAA Atlanta Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Mar 10 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2007 6:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FSDO-15 Orlando, FL.

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4387C
NTSB Number MIA06LA068
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Champion
Aircraft Model 7EC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7EC-416
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3864
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Pearlman Aircraft Company
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3900 Neptune Drive
Aircraft Owner City Orlando
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32804
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Craig Pearlman
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 KGIF
Departure City Winter Haven
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FA83
Destination City Zellwood
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 10 2007 1:11PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 09
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --