Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 12 near Anchorage, AK — 2014-07-02

Final reportANC14FA050
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Date
2014-07-02
Location
Anchorage, AK, USA
Airport
MRI
Aircraft
PIPER PA 12
Registration
N3512M
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The incorrect (reverse) rigging of the elevator control cables, and the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, which failed to detect the misrigging.

NTSB narrative

The accident flight was the airplane's first flight after undergoing maintenance and modification over the course of several years. A witness reported that, during the takeoff, the airplane climbed steeply in an extreme, nose-high attitude until it "pivoted" at the apex of the climb and then entered a descent straight to the ground. The airplane's described motions are consistent with the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and entering an aerodynamic stall; crush damage to the nose of the airplane and the leading edges of the wings was consistent with a nearly vertical flight path at the time of impact. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane's elevator control cables were misrigged, such that they were attached to the incorrect (opposite) locations on the upper and lower elevator control horn, resulting in a reversal of elevator control inputs. Maintenance logs for the airplane contained no entries more recent than 2007. Several people reported that the pilot often performed maintenance on the airplane; however, none indicated knowledge of who performed maintenance on the elevator controls. A "BEFORE TAKEOFF" checklist for the airplane included the item, "CONTROLS – FREE AND CORRECT." If the pilot had checked the elevator for correct motion before takeoff, he likely would have discovered that it was misrigged.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked elevator control before takeoff to prevent misrigging.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

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