Hostein K/Hostein S PIETENPOL N888MG

Summary

On 23 August 2017 at about 23:45 local time, a Hostein K/Hostein S PIETENPOL registered N888MG was involved in an accident near Albion, New York, United States. One person was on board and 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

23 August 2017 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Albion, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Gaines Valley Aviation (NY06)

Coordinates

43.2950, -78.2150

Aircraft

Hostein K/Hostein S PIETENPOL

Registration

N888MG

Category

Airplane

Year built

2000

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albion → Albion

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA17LA292

1 person had minor injuries.

Loss of directional control due to a restriction of rudder movement.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot had flown the airplane “many times” before the accident flight and was planning on conducting a local sightseeing flight on the day of the accident. According to the pilot, the preflight inspection, engine start, run-up, flight control check, taxi, and takeoff roll were normal. During the take-off roll, the tail lifted off normally. Immediately after takeoff, the airplane began an abrupt and uncontrollable yaw to the left. The pilot applied full right aileron and full right rudder, but the airplane continued a turn to the left. The pilot determined the airplane was “travelling too fast to land in the rough field adjacent to the runway” and began to climb. The airplane impacted trees bordering the left side of the runway and sustained substantial damage to the airframe and the firewall. Postaccident examination of the rudder control cables and their associated linkages revealed that, when the cable was manipulated the rudder deflected fully left, and it was difficult to move the rudder to the right. The examination could not conclusively determine the reason for the restricted movement of the rudder. In addition, the right tail wheel spring was loose, the attachment S hook appeared elongated, and there was bending to the right spring inner bandings. The pilot’s loss of directional control was likely due the restricted movement of the rudder controls. The bending of the spring and the elongated S hook suggest that significant right rudder force was applied against the rudder control, though the cause of the restriction could not be conclusively confirmed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.