SEA87LA105
1987-05-29 · GLENNS FERRY, Idaho, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport U89
N503CW has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (SCHLEICHER ASW-27), which was not involved in this event.
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
WHILE AT CRZ, PLT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, EXPERIENCED ELEVATOR CONTROL DIFFICULTIES AND YOKE VIBRATIONS. PLT DECLARED EMERG, REQUESTED VECTOR TO CLOSEST AIRPORT. MTN HOME AFB RAPCON GAVE VECTOR TO GLENNS FERRY AIRPORT. ON APPROACH, PLT SIGHTED LARGE 'X' MARKS ON RWY, INDICATING AIRPORT CLOSED, BUT DUE NATURE OF EMERG, ELECTED TO CONTINUE. DUE CONDITIONS OF DUSK, PLT DID NOT SIGHT OBSTRUCTIONS (LARGE DIRT MOUNDS) ON RWY UNTIL COMMITTED. PLT ATTEMPTED TO STEER CLEAR ON T/D AND ROLL, BUT UNABLE; COLLIDED WITH ONE OR MORE BEFORE COMING TO REST. INVEST REVEALED ELEV TAB CONTROL ROD END HAD TORN FREE OF TAB HORN. HORN SHOWED EVIDENCE OF PREVIOUS WEAR NECESSITATING OVERSIZE BEARING. CONTINUED WEAR REDUCED CROSS-SECTION; UNABLE TO WITHSTAND TURB-INDUCED FLT LOADS. MTN HOME AFB NOT ON CLASS B NOTAM DIST AT TIME OF MISHAP. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1987_SEA87LA105.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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