The pilot was en route to his destination when three to four miles before reaching the runway, he lost elevator authority. He used elevator trim and power settings to control pitch and descended over the runway in Englewood, Colo.
He was able to level off over the runway and tried to get the airspeed to decrease. The Howard DGA 15P descended, hit the runway, and sustained substantial damage to a wing strut.
A post-accident examination by the FAA revealed the elevator control separated at a connection between the control cable and a push/pull tube.
The tube and cable ends remained intact, and showed no signs of deformation or fatigue.
The bolt connecting them was missing and not recovered for examination.
According to methods, techniques, and practices in Advisory Circular 43.13B, the bolt should have been secured with a castellated nut and cotter pin, and neither were recovered from the wreckage.
Probable cause: The separation of the elevator control system linkage at a push/pull tube and cable joint, for an unknown reason, because the bolt and associated hardware securing the joint was not found for examination.
NTSB Identification: GAA15CA294
This September 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Modified DGA 600 hp R1340. Eight skydivers outside. Jack screw stripped out. Plane went vertical, stall, spin, I caught it at 2 turns, skydivers got the hint, power to idle, did not touch a freakin’ thing! (Remember Air Alaska MD83) NOTHING! Not even trim (didn’t know that was the reason at the time). Even at idle I had to hold heavy pressure on wheel & got relieved with my knee on way down from 9,500. Over & Back by Wild Bill Callahan on Amazon.
And you better have a competent pilot in the right seat ready to take control while you land with rudder and trim or you may have the same results as that Howard driver.
I’m glad you said that. I had to save quite a few attempts nearing the runway surface by using the control wheel in a normal manner with my hand for pitch control while I was practicing the procedure. No way was I going to touch down without a totally safe pitch attitude. I practiced go-arounds also. One hand is manipulating the ailerons while the other is closely coordinating the power and trim in small increments.
Remind anyone of a similar problem with an experimental? This is a certificated aircraft that had a bolt depart at some point.
One observation — when I was working toward my PPL years ago, my CFI demonstrated that he could, via power and trim, land a C150 or C152 on a 36’x2300′ runway.
Maybe we all need to practice doing this with the plane we fly or own. See if you can, via power and trim, land that plane. Complex will make it more difficult as things change when you drop the gear. But it would be a very good thing to be able to do. And if one were going for a CPL, it just might impress that DPE enough that they might cut certain maneuvers out. After all, if you have that much skill and ability…
I agree this procedure should be an option. The C172 POH has it in the amplified section of emergency procedures – Landing Without Elevator Control. It actually has step by step instructions with recommend speed, flap setting, and technique to descend and flare. I can tell you it works but it isn’t easy.