Amateur-built JA30 SUPERSTOL N719LN accident near Tennille, Georgia

Probable cause

The loss of elevator control during flight due to the elevator control rod and its hardware disconnecting from its installation area, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent into trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate inspection of the airplane and improperly performing the condition inspection without holding a repairman certificate.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he departed his home airport to maneuver in the local area. The maneuvering was uneventful and after about 10 to 15 minutes he began navigating back to the airport. While in level flight, approaching the airport’s traffic pattern area, about 2,500 ft mean sea level, he observed that the airplane’s “nose starts drifting down” to about 45° pitch down. He moved the control stick and there was “nothing” for elevator control and he processed that “elevator control authority was lost” as it felt like the control stick had become disconnected. The roll/ aileron control authority continued to function.

He reported that he reduced power, tightened his seatbelt, and the airplane’s pitch continued to decrease, but as airspeed increased, the airplane’s pitch attitude “increased somewhat” to about 30° pitch down. The airplane continued to descend towards terrain. Shortly before impact, he reported that he maneuvered to the right to avoid a house and subsequently impacted a tree and terrain. The fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage.

Postaccident inspection of the airplane found that the connection point between the elevator push rod and the control stick mixer was missing all of its hardware, which normally would be secured with a locknut (the missing hardware was not recovered). Reference Figure 1 for a view of the accident airplane as found compared to an exemplar parts and hardware.

Figure 1: View of the elevator connecting rod attachment areas, exemplar and accident airplane (Photo Courtesy of FAA & Just Aircraft)

The pilot reported that he performed the most recent condition inspection of the airplane 2 months before the accident. He reported that the elevator system and its hardware were not removed during the most recent inspection. The pilot was unable to produce the maintenance records despite repeated requests, nor did he hold a repairman certificate. The pilot, who was the builder of the airplane, reported that it had accumulated 130 hours of total flight time.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA251 for the full record.