 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Aircraft elevator disconnected during takeoff on tow causing uncontrollable pitch up. Aircraft released from tow made off airport landing without injury or damage.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 110252 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198904 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : w73 |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : takeoff |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 18 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 285 |
| ASRS Report | 110252 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : regained aircraft control flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Sailplane elevator disconnected during assembly. Aircraft passed normal routine preflight, and positive control check involving a second experienced pilot. Reason (probably) complacency by PIC about safety pin in spring-loaded ball and socket connector (a common type on sailplanes). Aircraft 'popped up' uncontrollably during initial part of tow. Pilot released and used flaps (positive and negative deflections) for pitch control. Landed off airport with zero damage.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACFT ELEVATOR DISCONNECTED DURING TAKEOFF ON TOW CAUSING UNCONTROLLABLE PITCH UP. ACFT RELEASED FROM TOW MADE OFF ARPT LNDG WITHOUT INJURY OR DAMAGE.
Narrative: SAILPLANE ELEVATOR DISCONNECTED DURING ASSEMBLY. ACFT PASSED NORMAL ROUTINE PREFLT, AND POSITIVE CONTROL CHECK INVOLVING A SECOND EXPERIENCED PLT. REASON (PROBABLY) COMPLACENCY BY PIC ABOUT SAFETY PIN IN SPRING-LOADED BALL AND SOCKET CONNECTOR (A COMMON TYPE ON SAILPLANES). ACFT 'POPPED UP' UNCONTROLLABLY DURING INITIAL PART OF TOW. PLT RELEASED AND USED FLAPS (POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE DEFLECTIONS) FOR PITCH CONTROL. LANDED OFF ARPT WITH ZERO DAMAGE.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.