Xtremeair SBACH 342 N142WP

Summary

On 4 April 2011 at about 00:40 local time, a Xtremeair SBACH 342 registered N142WP, operated by Douglas W. Jardine, was involved in an accident near Springerville, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 April 2011 at 00:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Springerville, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Springerville Municipal Airpor (D68)

Coordinates

34.1292, -109.3108

Aircraft

Xtremeair SBACH 342

Registration

N142WP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Douglas W. Jardine

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Childress → Show Low

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11CA197

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to properly secure loose objects in the cockpit area which resulted in a personal locator beacon becoming lodged in the elevator control torque tubes, restricting flight control movement.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While descending from 10,500 feet to 8,500 feet on approach to the airport, the airplane encountered light turbulence and the pilot heard a noise emanating from the rear seat. The pilot immediately realized that the pitch control had become jammed and the range of available movement was minimal. He manipulated the trim to control the nose-down position, and continued the flight to the airport (the closest airport to his position). Upon crossing the threshold for landing, he reduced the power and the airplane touched down, bouncing twice before ground looping and coming to rest off the runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the pilot's personal location beacon (PLB) had become lodged in the bellcrank for the elevator torque tube. Once the PLB was removed, the elevator moved freely.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.