Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Hampton Roads Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chesapeake, Virginia 23321
Saturday, August 31, 2013 13:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot and safety pilot reported that, during takeoff, they heard a loud “pop” as the pilot increased the angle-of-attack to become airborne and that the airplane then pitched down. The airplane became airborne momentarily and then the safety pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane touched down on the runway in a three-point attitude.
Examination of the airplane revealed that the aft lower stabilator flight control cable’s turnbuckle assembly had broken at the aft cable terminal fitting and that the control cable terminal had fractured due to stress-corrosion cracking. Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2013-02-13 and Piper Service Bulletin (SB) 1245A were issued to address the failure of the control cables. According to the airframe and powerplant mechanic’s logbook entry for the most recent annual inspection, which occurred 6 flight hours before the cable failure, he had complied with AD 2013-02-13 by inspecting the cables in accordance with Piper SB 1245A. The SB instructed the mechanic to disassemble the turnbuckle assembly and clean it using a solvent, such as acetone, or a general purpose scouring pad and then to use a 10x magnifier, a mirror, and a suitable light source to inspect each turnbuckle, cable terminal, and adjacent portion of the cable. Any evidence of cracks, cable fraying, or corrosion was cause for replacement.
Further examination of the terminal fitting indicated that it was covered in many areas with deposits that were likely a mix of corrosion products, grease, and dirt, and, therefore, that it had not been cleaned sufficiently to allow for an effective inspection. No scratches were observed on the surface, indicating that a scouring pad had not been used. The deposits observed on the turnbuckle were unable to be readily removed without a scouring pad, indicating that they were likely there longer than the month since the inspection occurred.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Maintenance personnel’s inadequate inspection and compliance with a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive, which resulted in an undetected corroded and cracked stabilator turnbuckle and the subsequent failure of the turnbuckle and loss of elevator control during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 8/31/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1345 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Chesapeake |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 23321 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 364649N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0762656W |
| Event Location Airport | Hampton Roads Executive |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PVG |
| 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 | 23 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1355 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PVG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 23 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 14 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| 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) | 32891 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Operator |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 15 2014 1:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2091W |
| NTSB Number | ERA13IA396 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | None |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28RT-201 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-7918076 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2758 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 21 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6106 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CCM Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Chesapeake |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 23321 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | CCM Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Chesapeake |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 23321 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PVG |
| Departure City | Chesapeake |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1349 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | PVG |
| Destination City | Chesapeake |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 15 2014 1:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 20 |
| Runway Length | 3525 |
| Runway Width | 70 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |