Piper PA-25-235 N6917Z

Summary

On 20 June 2021 at about 19:10 local time, a Piper PA-25-235 registered N6917Z, operated by Evergreen Soaring Inc, was involved in an accident near Twisp, Washington, 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

20 June 2021 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Twisp, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Twisp Muni (2S0)

Coordinates

48.3506, -120.0940

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-235

Registration

N6917Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1964

Engines

1

Operator

Evergreen Soaring Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Glider Tow

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR21LA238

Nobody was injured.

An in-flight separation of the control stick from the torque tube assembly, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the landing roll and subsequent on-ground collision.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the sixth flight of a glider tow operation, the control stick felt as though it had “some play” with regard to the ailerons. The control stick moved about four inches laterally before a corresponding movement of the ailerons could be observed. He landed the airplane, performed a flight control check and noticed a “little slack” between the control stick inputs and subsequent aileron movement. He determined that the control stick felt secure and took off on his seventh tow flight. During the climb out, the response to his control stick inputs diminished. The airplane encountered turbulence and the control stick separated from the torque tube assembly. He maintained control of the airplane by using trim, rudder control and throttle variations. The airplane subsequently landed on the grass surface to the right of the runway. During a firm landing, the airplane veered right, and the right wing collided with a berm. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the leading-edge of the right wing. A subsequent examination of the airplane’s flight controls, revealed that the bolt which secured the control stick to the torque tube assembly had backed out. The castellated nut and cotter pin which secured the bolt were not located.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.