Buckeye Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buckeye, Arizona 85326
Friday, January 28, 2011 14:35 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight the pilot realized that he had lost elevator control. The pilot attempted to determine if there was any way to reestablish elevator control but was unsuccessful. He was able to maintain pitch control by increasing or decreasing engine power. During a precautionary landing the airplane impacted the runway hard and sustained substantial damage to the firewall. On-scene inspection of the aircraft’s elevator control system revealed that the bolt that connects the aft elevator push-pull control tube to the pilot and copilot's control stick bellcrank was missing, and was not found during a thorough inspection of the area. In addition, the bolt that connects the forward push-pull tube to the control stick bellcrank was ready to fall out. These bolts are an AN-type drilled shank bolt requiring a castellated nut and cotter pin for security. Neither of the nuts or cotter pins were found. The aircraft had 197 hours total time. The last condition inspection was performed 2 months and 24 operating hours prior to the accident. It could not be determined if the cotter pin had ever been installed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A disconnection of the elevator control linkage due to incorrect installation or maintenance, which was due to the retaining nut backing off the bolt and allowing the bolt to fall out.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/28/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Buckeye
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85326
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 332520N
Event Location Longitude 1124111W
Event Location Airport Buckeye Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BXK
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 1033
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1435 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BXK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1033
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28185
NTSB Notification Source FAA WP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 6 2011 6:17PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8053R
NTSB Number WPR11CA112
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HARVEY PATTEN
Aircraft Model RANS S-6ES
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 08061764
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Nov 7 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 197
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name HARVEY PATTEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SEDONA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86351-8960
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Kevin Wetherilt
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Buckeye
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85326
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 SEZ
Departure City Sedona
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BXK
Destination City Buckeye
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 1 2011 6:13PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --