Pilot Debrief

Piper PA 18A near COEUR D'ALENE, ID — 2017-05-08

Final reportWPR17LA102
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Date
2017-05-08
Location
COEUR D'ALENE, ID, USA
Airport
COE
Aircraft
Piper PA 18A
Registration
N245KW
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The loss of yaw control due to an inadequately compressed rudder swage, which resulted from inadequate maintenance and led to the separation of the forward right rudder cable.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff for the personal flight, the airplane began to yaw left and that he applied right rudder input in an attempt to regain yaw control; however, the airplane did not respond. The pilot subsequently initiated a forced landing, during which the airplane impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude, and it then came to rest oriented about 90o perpendicular to the runway. Postaccident examination revealed that the forward right rudder cable, between the front and rear seats, had detached at the rear seat foot pedal connection. The cable had pulled through its swage sleeve, indicating that the swage had not been adequately compressed. The cable appeared to have been recently replaced; however, during a review of maintenance records, no logbook entry was found documenting the replacement.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff when the airplane yawed left during initial climb.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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