Accident Piper J-5A Cub Cruiser N35826,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 40334
 
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Date:Tuesday 23 April 1991
Time:11:55 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic J5 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper J-5A Cub Cruiser
Owner/operator:Phillip G. Cummings
Registration: N35826
MSN: 5-797
Engine model:Lycoming O-235-C1
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Newbury, MA -   United States of America
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
WITNESSES SAID THAT AS SOON AS THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, IT STARTED A STEEPLY BANKED LEFT TURN AND DESCENDED INTO A TREE AND STRUCK THE GROUND. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM REVEALED A BROKEN RIGHT AILERON BRACKET AND A TEAR IN THE SHEET METAL AFT OF THIS BRACKET. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THIS DAMAGE OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE BY ONE MONTH. THE PIPER SERVICE MANUAL AND BULLETINS RECOMMENDED REGULAR INSPECTION OF THIS BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, A FRIEND OF THE PILOT'S AND A PRIVATE PILOT HIMSELF, SAW THE RIGHT AILERON OF N35826 FLAPPING UP AND DOWN DURING A WIND/RAIN STORM. THE LEFT AILERON WAS STREAMLINED. ED HATT, A RESTORER OF J5A'S, SAID IN HIS REPORT, 'IT IS MY OPINION...THAT THE NUT...'HUNG' ON THE TORN TAILING EDGE...JAMMING THE AILERON BELLCRANK AND CAUSING A LOSS OF AILERON CONTROL.'

Probable Cause: THE LOSS OF INFLIGHT CONTROL, WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF A JAMMED RIGHT AILERON BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE; THE IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM, AND THE INCOMPLETE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT.

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: NYC91FA120
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 11 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB NYC91FA120

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
21-Apr-2024 06:55 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Narrative, Accident report]

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