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ANC21LA093

2021-09-17 · Chandalar Shelf, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 5CD

Current FAA registration · N8061D

Make / Model
PIPER PA-22-150
Year of manufacture
1957 · 64 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20151130
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AAFAA6

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

A separation of the rudder cable from the rudder pedal due to the connecting bolt detaching for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a loss of directional control.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, as the airplane became airborne, he heard an “audible pop” and immediately felt slack in the left rudder pedal. The airplane banked to the right, unable to recover from the right turn, he decreased power and added right rudder. Subsequently, he continued in the forced bank to the right and maneuvered the airplane for an emergency off-airport landing. During the emergency landing the tail was dragged sideways, the main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the elevator. A postaccident examination revealed that the forward attachment point of the rudder cable that connects to the rudder pedal came unfastened. The pilot reported that the connecting bolt was recovered but that the nut and cotter pin were not located. Based on the available evidence it was undetermined why the nut disconnected from the bolt. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Misc hardware-Fasteners-Unknown/Not determined
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Rudder control system-Failure
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Rudder control system-Unknown/Not determined

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_ANC21LA093.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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