SEA89FA122

1989-06-26 · PETERSBURG, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport PSG

Aircraft involved

N8042X Douglas DC-3C None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO DITCH THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN FLOWN BACK TO THE AIRPORT USING THE RIGHT SEAT CONTROLS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE FAILURE & SEPARATION OF A PORTION OF THE RIGHT AILERON FABRIC, AND THE PILOT'S EXCESSIVE FORCE APPLIED TO THE CONTROL WHEEL WHICH RESULTED IN OVERSTRESSING THE AILERON CONTROL CHAIN.

Factual narrative

IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF AT 200-300 FT AGL, A PORTION OF FABRIC SEPD FROM THE R AILERON. WHILE MANEUVERING THE ACFT THE PLT'S CONTROL WHEEL BECAME FREE, AND HE ELECTED TO DITCH USING FULL RUDDER & DIFFERENTIAL POWER. EXAM OF THE PLT'S CONTROL WHEEL AILERON CONTROL CHAIN REVEALED THAT THE CHAIN FAILED DUE TO OVERLOAD. THE RIGHT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A MECHANIC EMPLOYED BY THE OPERATOR AND HELD A PRIVATE PLT CERT WITH SINGLE & MULTIENGINE RATING. HE STATED THAT HE SUGGESTED TO THE PLT THAT HIS CONTROLS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY, BUT THE PLT DISAGREED & PROCEEDED TO DITCH THE ACFT. EXAM OF THE RIGHT CONTROL YOKE REVEALED AILERON MOVEMENT IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_SEA89FA122.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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