Ryan NAVION B N5382K accident near Fort Myers, Florida

Probable cause

The binding of the trim wheel on the instrument panel and the pilot’s improper decision to depart with a known mechanical deficiency.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, during a previous flight he discovered that the elevator trim adjustment wheel was binding when it set to the full airplane nose-up position. He planned to have the airplane inspected by a mechanic at the conclusion of that flight, but upon arriving at the destination, all of the facilities were closed for the evening. He subsequently departed for the return flight after picking up passengers, and as he began to trim the airplane for the landing flare, the airplane pitched up uncontrollably. As the pilot attempted to recover the airplane, the left wing struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the trim wheel was binding on the instrument panel when the trim was set to a nose-up position. When the trim wheel was removed from the trim system, the remainder of the mechanism was free to move in both the up and down directions.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10CA425 for the full record.