Funk B85C N81194

Summary

On 6 March 2015 at about 17:15 local time, a Funk B85C registered N81194 was involved in an accident near Leonard, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were 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

6 March 2015 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Leonard, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

35.9367, -95.8164

Aircraft

Funk B85C

Registration

N81194

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tulsa → Tulsa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15CA166

Nobody was injured.

The improper installation of the UP elevator cable turnbuckle which became disconnected during the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was flying about 700 feet above the ground in cruise flight when he felt the control stick "pop" and the nose of the airplane pitch down. The pilot pulled back the throttle and turned off the magnetos. The passenger adjusted the elevator trim; however, the pitch attitude did not change. The pilot then entered a side slip which brought the nose up to level. He straightened the nose of the airplane just prior to it impacting the terrain. The airplane subsequently flipped inverted resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.   A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the UP elevator turnbuckle became detached at the elevator torque tube. The turnbuckle was not safety wired. New cables were installed in the airplane in 2007 and the turnbuckle most likely loosened over time.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.