NTSB ATL89LA101 — 1989-03-11 · STEUBENVILLE, Ohio, United States

Current FAA registration · N12208

Make / Model: BELLANCA 7KCAB
Year of manufacture: 1972 · 17 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING IO-320 SERIES (150 hp)
Seats / Engines: 2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19720229
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A05D99

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N12208 Champion 7KCAB None

Probable cause & findings

THE RUDDER CONTROL CABLE FAILED WHICH RENDERED THE CONTROL SURFACE INOPERATIVE. THE LOSS OF RUDDER PRECLUDED THE PILOT FROM MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER LANDING.

Factual narrative

WHILE CONDUCTING AEROBATIC FLIGHT, THE PILOT LOST COMPLETE RUDDER CONTROL WHEN THE CONTROL CABLE FAILED. THE PILOT MANAGED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND LAND; HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RUDDER CONTROL CABLE HAD FAILED. THE FRACTURE FACES ON MOST STRANDS RESEMBLED A FAILURE RESULTING FROM AN ELECTRICAL ARC. THERE WERE TWO INSPECTION PANELS IN THE VICINITY OF THE FAILED CABLE. THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE CABLE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_ATL89LA101.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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