Tennessee Engineering & Manf Z-MAX UNREG

Summary

On 13 September 1992 at about 17:08 local time, a Tennessee Engineering & Manf Z-MAX registered UNREG, operated by Charles E Baker III, was involved in an accident near Manchester, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 September 1992 at 17:08

Classification

Accident

Location

Manchester, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Private Grass Field (NONE)

Coordinates

42.1401, -84.0305

Aircraft

Tennessee Engineering & Manf Z-MAX

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Charles E Baker III

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Clinton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI92DEC04

1 person was seriously injured.

AN INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEM BY THE PILOT/BUILDER OF THE AIRPLANE, A PULLUP PERFORMED BY THE PILOT, AND A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE RUDDER FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE MID-WING CONFIGURED EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY SURFACE. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE EXECUTED A STEEP CLIMBING 360 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TURN AND DESCENDED INTO TREES ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BUILDER OF THE AIRPLANE WAS ALSO THE PILOT. THE BUILDER HAD DEVIATED FROM THE DESIGNER'S PLANS AND MODIFIED THE RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEM. THE RESULT OF THE MODIFICATION WAS A LEFT RUDDER CABLE FAILURE DUE TO CHAFING AND OVERLOAD. THE BUILDER HAD ALSO INSTALLED AN ENGINE WHICH HAD 25 HORSEPOWER (HP) MORE THAN ALLOWED BY THE DESIGNER. THE DESIGNER STATED AN AIRPLANE WITH 65 HP WOULD PERFORM TOO STEEP A CLIMB FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON. THIS, HE STATED, WOULD CAUSE THE PILOT TO LOSE REFERENCE WITH THE HORIZON DUE TO THE AIRPLANE'S MID-WING CONFIGURATION. THE DESIGNER ALSO STATED THE MID-WING CONFIGURATION DOES NOT BLOCK AIRFLOW OVER THE ELEVATOR UNLESS IN A STALL, AT WHICH POINT THE TURBULENT AIR WOULD PASS OVER THE ELEVATOR.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.