MIA91LA135

1991-05-04 · STUART, Florida, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SUA

Aircraft involved

N78583 Piper PA-12 None

Probable cause & findings

AN INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION WHICH FAILED TO DETECT CORROSION ON THE RUDDER CABLE. THE PILOT LOST DIRECTION CONTROL DURING LANDING WHEN THE RUDDER CABLE BROKE.

Factual narrative

AFTER LOWERING THE TAILWHEEL DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER TO CORRECT THIS BUT THE RT RUDDER PEDAL TRAVELLED TO THE FLOOR. THE ACFT THEN RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED ACFT. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE RT RUDDER CABLE FAILED DUE TO CORROSION APPROX 1 INCH FWD OF THE TURNBUCKLE. REVIEW OF THE ACFT LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT AN ANNUAL INSP WAS PERFORMED ON JULY 1, 1990 & THE ACFT HAD ACCUMULATED 428 HRS SINCE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_MIA91LA135.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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