Amateur-built 281 MR N5281R accident near Mount Cory, Ohio

Probable cause

The improper installation of the rivets at the aft fuselage bulkhead which resulted in the pilot not having full elevator control on landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he heard what sounded like an explosion in the rear of the airplane during cruise flight at 3,000 feet. He stated that the airplane then began to vibrate and it sounded as if something was banging on the airplane. The pilot reported he chose a street on which to make a precautionary landing and that the elevator was ineffective during the landing flare. The airplane touched down hard, bounced, and veered off the side of the road where it contacted two concrete posts prior to nosing over. A post accident inspection revealed that 26 of the Avex rivets on the aft bulkhead had failed/worked out allowing the several sections of the aft fuselage skin to pop up. The inspection also revealed that “smoking” was visible around some of the rivet holes indicating that the rivets were loose. When the pilot purchased the unfinished airplane, the riveting had already been accomplished. The kit manufacturer calls for Avex rivets to be used. The partial separation of the skin from the bulkhead allowed the empennage to flex which most could have resulted in the lack of elevator control during the landing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN10LA414 for the full record.