Douglas Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Douglas, Arizona 85607
Wednesday, March 14, 2007 12:07 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During landing rollout, the pilot's experimental amateur-built airplane swerved off the runway and nosed over in soft dirt. The pilot-builder had been practicing maneuvers for an air show when the right rudder control cable became disconnected. Safety wire, which secured a turnbuckle connecting two ends of the rudder cable, had chafed against a rudder pedal until the wire broke. Thereafter, the turn buckle unthreaded from the cable ends and the cables separated. The pilot's ability to maintain directional control during landing was compromised.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of directional control during landing due to separation of the rudder cable. A factor was the soft dirt terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/14/2007
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1207
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Douglas
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85607
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 312034N
Event Location Longitude 1093023W
Event Location Airport Douglas Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DGL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4173
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21483
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 May 29 2007 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N214GP
NTSB Number LAX07CA107
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 Pietsch
Aircraft Model IT
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number ZIA-0016
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 240
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Warren Pietsch
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Minot
Operator State ND
Operator Country USA
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) Air Race/Show
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DGL
Departure City Douglas
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code DGL
Destination City Douglas
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 3 2007 3:50PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 5760
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --