Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164B N2LU

Summary

On 24 November 1997 at about 22:00 local time, a Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164B registered N2LU was involved in an accident near Lecompte, Louisiana, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 November 1997 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lecompte, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

31.0799, -92.3900

Aircraft

Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164B

Registration

N2LU

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA058

1 person was seriously injured.

a loose battery cover, due to improper installation by maintenance personnel, that became jammed with an elevator control rod and restricted the movement of the elevator control system, which subsequently led to an uncontrolled impact with a tree, shortly after lift-off.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the initial climb, at about 50 to 75 feet AGL, the instructor noticed that the airspeed was decaying, and he recalled telling the student several times to push forward on the controls. As the aircraft began to descend, the instructor took control of the airplane, and attempted to push forward on the controls, but the controls would not move forward. Subsequently, the airplane crossed over a power line, impacted a pecan tree, and came to rest on the right wing in an upright position. During wreckage examination, all flight controls responded and moved the flight control surfaces through their respective full operating ranges. A battery cover was found laying free beside the elevator control push tube. There were several rub marks on the end of the push tube at the 'thru' bolt end. Also, the battery cover had two small indentations on it, and the battery appeared to be new. No attachment bolts that would have been needed to secure the cover to the battery were found. An annual inspection had just been completed on the aircraft 4 days before, and total time since the annual inspection was 5 hours.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.