Narrative:

During a descent from cruise of 11500 ft to 3500 ft, airspeed at middle of yellow arc, in clear air, we hit moderate turbulence. This broke the connection between the cable controling the ruddervator tabs and the tabs themselves. The airplane shook violently as the ruddervators shook in the wind. We gained control of the aircraft maintaining 100 KTS to the ground and made a successful forced emergency landing. The tail of the airplane appeared to have no other damage. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the cable attaches to the 'horn' on the leading edges of the V tail assembly. He feels there is some possibility of metal fatigue but more likely the cause is the placement of the rivet where it attaches to the horn. He has spoken with several mechanics who are knowledgeable about this aircraft, a 1963 bonanza and it seems the rivet is too close to the edge of the horn and creates a weak area. There have been airworthiness directives issued to modify and strengthen the classic V tail bonanza tail section. However, this is one area that is still a problem. The descent was made within operating limits and in smooth air until they hit the abrupt jolt of turbulence. Then there was violent shaking until the aircraft was slowed. When new tabs were purchased they were riveted the same as the originals. Reporter feels that a cuff or flange could be used to help strengthen the attachment.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: V TAIL BONANZA DURING DSCNT HAS CABLE CTLING THE RUDDERVATOR DISCONNECT DURING DSCNT WHEN ENCOUNTERING ABRUPT TURB. VIOLENT SHAKING RESULTS AND AN EMER LNDG.

Narrative: DURING A DSCNT FROM CRUISE OF 11500 FT TO 3500 FT, AIRSPD AT MIDDLE OF YELLOW ARC, IN CLR AIR, WE HIT MODERATE TURB. THIS BROKE THE CONNECTION BTWN THE CABLE CTLING THE RUDDERVATOR TABS AND THE TABS THEMSELVES. THE AIRPLANE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AS THE RUDDERVATORS SHOOK IN THE WIND. WE GAINED CTL OF THE ACFT MAINTAINING 100 KTS TO THE GND AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL FORCED EMER LNDG. THE TAIL OF THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO HAVE NO OTHER DAMAGE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE CABLE ATTACHES TO THE 'HORN' ON THE LEADING EDGES OF THE V TAIL ASSEMBLY. HE FEELS THERE IS SOME POSSIBILITY OF METAL FATIGUE BUT MORE LIKELY THE CAUSE IS THE PLACEMENT OF THE RIVET WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE HORN. HE HAS SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL MECHS WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS ACFT, A 1963 BONANZA AND IT SEEMS THE RIVET IS TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF THE HORN AND CREATES A WEAK AREA. THERE HAVE BEEN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES ISSUED TO MODIFY AND STRENGTHEN THE CLASSIC V TAIL BONANZA TAIL SECTION. HOWEVER, THIS IS ONE AREA THAT IS STILL A PROB. THE DSCNT WAS MADE WITHIN OPERATING LIMITS AND IN SMOOTH AIR UNTIL THEY HIT THE ABRUPT JOLT OF TURB. THEN THERE WAS VIOLENT SHAKING UNTIL THE ACFT WAS SLOWED. WHEN NEW TABS WERE PURCHASED THEY WERE RIVETED THE SAME AS THE ORIGINALS. RPTR FEELS THAT A CUFF OR FLANGE COULD BE USED TO HELP STRENGTHEN THE ATTACHMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.