Snyder STOLP SA-300 N57DH

Summary

On 17 September 1988 at about 16:27 local time, a Snyder STOLP SA-300 registered N57DH, operated by Howard, H. David, was involved in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 September 1988 at 16:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Sundance (HSD)

Coordinates

35.6698, -97.7491

Aircraft

Snyder STOLP SA-300

Registration

N57DH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Howard, H. David

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW88DPJ12

1 person died.

TOTAL FAILURE OF THE RUDDER CONTROL DUE TO FAILURE OF THE METAL WELDS ON THE CABLE ATTACHMENT TO THE RUDDER PEDAL, DUE TO IMPROPER WELDING BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES RPRTD THE PLT WAS DOING AEROBATICS NEAR THE ARPT. THEY OBSERVED TWO SNAP ROLLS, THEN SAW THE ACFT ENTER A SPIN TO THE RIGHT. THE WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT WAS MANEUVERING AT AN ESTIMATED 1,500 TO 1,900 FEET AGL, THEN IT SPUN, UNCORRECTED TO GROUND IMPACT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT IN THE REAR COCKPIT, THE RUDDER CABLE ATTACHMENT ON THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL HAD FAILED. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FRACTURE WAS TYPICAL OF OVERSTRESS, BUT THE WELDED AREA HAD VOIDS & THERE WAS A LACK OF FUSION & PENETRATION IN THE WELDED AREA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.