Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Coushatta, Louisiana 71019
Tuesady, April 4, 2006 10:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The commercial pilot departed the airfield for a local aerobatic flight. While performing aerobatic maneuvers, the airplane experienced a failure of the elevator control system. The 18,971-hour pilot was able to recover and maneuver the airplane to a safe altitude over an uninhabited area. Once over the safe area, the pilot elected to exit the airplane and deploy his emergency parachute. The airplane was destroyed upon impact with the ground. The elevator's push-pull tube assembly was located in the wreckage with a broken rod-end bearing. The elevator push-pull tube is fitted with two rod-end bearings, one in each end of the tube. The first rod-end bearing was unbroken, but slightly bent to one side. The unbroken rod-end bearing had the markings of FAFNIR on the side of the bearing retainer, and 2P on the side of the shank, at the base of the outer race or banjo. The second (failed) rod-end bearing's outer race was fractured in two places, leaving just the threaded shank and approximately the bottom one-third of the outer race. The top section of the failed bearing and associated parts were not located and therefore, no identification marks could be associated with the outer race. Nor were there any identification markings on the hollow shank. During load testing of similar rod-end bearings, three bearings failed at 870 pounds or less. These bearings had the markings of FEDERAL RE3ML6-2N MADE IN THE USA, on the side of the bearing retainer. Also, rod-end bearings identified as "FEDERAL" all had no additional identification marks on a hollow shaft. Rod-end bearings identified as FAFNIR all had solid shafts, and the markings of "2P" on the shank near the base of the banjo head. FAFNIR bearings used in the test all failed above 3,200 pounds. The ultimate (minimum) load requirement for the rod-end bearings is 1,500 pounds.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of control due to premature failure of the elevator's push-pull tube rod-end bearing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1030 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Coushatta |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 71019 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 315960N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0931820W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1040 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KIER |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.22 |
| 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) | 21606 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pilot |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 4 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 27 2007 1:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baton Rouge, Luisiana |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N260HP |
| NTSB Number | DFW06LA094 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aviation Specialties Unlimited |
| Aircraft Model | Challenger II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0001 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3040 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Pitts S2B LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 265 San Benancio Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Salinas |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 93908 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Sean Tucker |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 265 San Benancio Rd |
| Operator City | Salinas |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 93908 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 0R7 |
| Departure City | Coushatta |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Coushatta |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 30 2007 2:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |