Cessna 310 N7733Q accident near Selma, Alabama

Probable cause

The failure of maintenance personnel to properly rig the rudder trim system after reinstallation and pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection after recent maintenance, which resulted in an inability to adequately maintain directional control during the flight.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that airplane had been painted and the rudder reinstalled before the accident flight. He stated that immediately after takeoff he noticed that he needed to use significant left rudder to maintain directional control. He executed a precautionary landing on the airport property, landing hard in the grass at a 45° angle to the runway. The fuselage sustained substantial damage and the nose landing gear fractured during the landing.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the rudder trim system was significantly out of rig. The pilot was unable to provide any maintenance records relating to the rudder removal and reinstallation. It is likely that the rudder and/or its trim system was installed incorrectly following the airplane’s repainting, which resulted in the pilot’s difficulty maintaining directional control and inability to make a normal landing on the runway. Although the pilot indicated that he performed the preflight checklist before takeoff, he stated that he may not have checked the control trims that are part of that checklist. It is likely that, had the pilot completed a preflight control check before the flight, he would have identified the improperly rigged rudder trim system.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA22LA198 for the full record.