PIPER PA 12 — Sanford, FL, 2017

PIPER PA 12 — Sanford, FL

1 fatal High-time pilot

Date	April 8, 2017
Location	Sanford, FL
Aircraft	PIPER PA 12
Purpose of flight	Personal
Conditions	Day · Visual Meteorological Cond
Phase / occurrence	Prior to flight Aircraft maintenance event
Pilot age	55
Pilot total time	25,000 hrs · High time
Time in type	150 hrs
Fatalities	1

Probable cause

The incorrect rigging of the elevator control cables, which resulted in a reversal of elevator control inputs applied by the pilot during the takeoff, an excessive nose-high pitch, and subsequent aerodynamic stall after takeoff. Also causal was the inadequate postmaintenance inspection and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and before takeoff check, which failed to detect the misrigging.

NTSB findings

Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Elevator control system-Incorrect service/maintenance - C
Personnel issues-Task performance-Maintenance-Installation-Other/unknown - C
Personnel issues-Task performance-Inspection-Post maintenance inspection-Pilot - C
Personnel issues-Task performance-Inspection-Preflight inspection-Pilot - C
Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot - C

What happened

The accident flight was the airplane's first flight after undergoing restoration over the course of 2 years. Although the mechanic who had worked on the airplane with the pilot wanted the pilot to do a high-speed taxi test before flight, the pilot wanted to "hurry up" and test fly the airplane as he had a friend visiting and wanted to take him flying in the airplane.

During the takeoff, witnesses observed the airplane pitch up into a nose-high attitude just after liftoff, stall, and descend in a nose-down attitude to ground impact. Examination of the wreckage revealed crush damage to the nose and the leading edges of the wings that was consistent with a nearly vertical nose-down flight path at the time of impact. Further 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 ends of the elevator control horn, resulting in a reversal of elevator control inputs. If the pilot had checked the elevator for correct motion during the preflight inspection and before takeoff check, he likely would have discovered that it was misrigged, and the accident would have been avoided.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.