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FTW90LA044

1989-12-25 · GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport F67

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

MANUFACTURER'S FAILURE TO PROPERTY INSTALL THE LEFT SIDE COMPONENTS OF THE DUAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOLLOWING ITS REMOVAL FOR ADDITIONAL COMPLETION WORK PRIOR TO DELIVERY OF THE AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF QUALITY CONTROL PERSONNEL TO DETECT THE OVERSIGHT.

Factual narrative

INITIAL LIFTOFF AND HOVER WERE NORMAL, HOWEVER, AS THE PILOT, WHO WAS FLYING FROM THE LEFT SEAT, WAS PREPARING TO TAKEOFF, HIS CYCLIC DISCONNECTED AND CAME OUT OF THE FLOOR MOUNT. THE PILOT YELLED TO THE RATED PASSENGER TO TAKE THE CYCLIC AND HE LOWERED COLLECTIVE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WITH THE PEDALS. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED HARD IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE, SEVERING THE TAILBOOM. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE 'PIP' PIN WHICH NORMALLY SECURED THE CYCLIC TO THE CONTROL MOUNT WAS MISSING AND NOT FOUND. EXAMINATION OF THE COMPONENTS DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF WORKING, ELONGATION, OR DAMAGE IN THE HOLES WHERE THE PIN WOULD HAVE NORMALLY BEEN INSTALLED. AUDIT OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD BEEN DELIVERED FROM THE MANUFACTURER 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, REVEALED THAT THE DUAL CONTROLS HAD RECENTLY BEEN INSTALLED AND INSPECTED AT THE FACTORY. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_FTW90LA044.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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