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GAA15CA294

2015-09-25 · Englewood, Colorado, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport APA

Current FAA registration · N1785H

Make / Model
HOWARD AIRCRAFT DGA-15P
Year of manufacture
1943 · 72 years old at event
Engine
P&W R-985 SERIES (450 hp)
Seats / Engines
5 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20150630
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A139F4

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The separation of the elevator control system linkage at a push/pull tube and cable joint, for an unknown reason, because the bolt and associated hardware securing the joint was not found for examination.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was en route to his destination and three to four miles before reaching the runway, he lost elevator authority. The pilot used elevator trim and power settings to control pitch and descended over the runway. The pilot was able to level off over the runway and tried to get the airspeed to decrease. The airplane descended, impacted the runway, and sustained substantial damage to a wing strut. A postaccident examination by the FAA revealed the elevator control separated at a connection between the control cable and a push/pull tube. The tube and cable ends remained intact, and showed no signs of deformation or fatigue. The bolt connecting them was missing and not recovered for examination. According to methods, techniques, and practices in Advisory Circular 43.13B, the bolt should have been secured with a castellated nut and cotter pin, and neither were recovered from the wreckage. The pilot reported that he was en route to his destination and three to four miles before reaching the runway, he lost elevator authority. The pilot used elevator trim and power settings to control pitch and descended over the runway. The pilot was able to level off over the runway and tried to get the airspeed to decrease. The airplane descended, impacted the runway, and sustained substantial damage to a wing strut. A postaccident examination by the FAA revealed the elevator control separated at a connection between the control cable and a push/pull tube. The tube and cable ends remained intact, and showed no signs of deformation or fatigue. The bolt connecting them was missing and not recovered for examination. According to methods, techniques, and practices in Advisory Circular 43.13B the bolt should have been secured with a castellated nut and cotter pin, and neither were recovered from the wreckage. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Elevator control system-Failure - C
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Elevator control system-Malfunction

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_GAA15CA294.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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