Piper PA18 N6983B

Summary

On 14 July 2019 at about 18:15 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N6983B, operated by Red Wing Soaring Association, was involved in an accident near Osceola, Wisconsin, 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

14 July 2019 at 18:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Osceola, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

L O Simenstad Muni (OEO)

Coordinates

45.3100, -92.6900

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N6983B

Category

Airplane

Year built

1956

Engines

1

Operator

Red Wing Soaring Association

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Osceola → Osceola

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN19LA224

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the right horizontal stabilizer during takeoff, resulting in a loss of control and forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the installation of an unapproved stabilizer frame and failure of maintenance personnel to identify deterioration of the stabilizer during routine maintenance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Upon takeoff, the pilot heard a “bang” and could not control the airplane. The pilot was able to get the wings level before the airplane hit the ground. The airplane bounced, went through a ditch, and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage. Examination of the airplane revealed a broken attachment fitting of the right horizontal stabilizer. The fabric covering was removed from the right and left stabilizers. The attachment corner of the right stabilizer frame was fractured. Pitting, multiple broken welds, and corrosion were found around the fracture. The right stabilizer frame had been fabricated and was not a Federal Aviation Adminstration/parts manufacturer approval-approved part. Maintenance records revealed that the stabilizer assembly had been removed for inspection, refurbished, and replaced multiple times. The most recent maintenance was performed about 4 months prior to the accident, when an annual inspection was completed and new sleeves for the forward attachment points were fabricated and installed on the stabilizer assembly.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.