Cessna 421 N4584L

Summary

On 30 January 2007 at about 20:50 local time, a Cessna 421 registered N4584L was involved in an accident near Pocatello, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 January 2007 at 20:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Pocatello, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

43.1236, -112.4539

Aircraft

Cessna 421

Registration

N4584L

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Idaho Falls → American Falls

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07LA055

Nobody was injured.

The separation of the bolt that attaches the elevator trim tab actuator rod to the elevator trim tab horn, resulting in violent flutter of the elevator, and eventually to the separation of the inboard half of the right elevator.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the climb to cruise altitude, the bolt that holds the elevator trim tab actuator rod to the trim tab horn came loose from its retaining nut and separated from the aircraft. This led to severe airframe vibration, and eventually to violent elevator flutter. As a result of the flutter, the inboard half of the right elevator separated from the airframe. By reducing power on the right engine, and adding power on the left engine, the pilot was able to crab the aircraft, reduce the airflow over the right stabilizer/elevator, and ultimately execute an emergency full-stop landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.