CHICO, CA, USA
UNREG
Teratorn Aircraft, Inc. TIERRA II
THE ULTRALIGHT WAS BEING TEST FLOWN AFTER ALTERATIONS TO THE ACFT & ITS FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM. THE PLT PUT THE ACFT THROUGH SOME MANEUVERS AND DURING ONE OF THEM, DESCRIBED BY WITNESSES AS A CHANDELLE, THE ACFT NOSED DOWN & CRASHED INTOTHE GROUND. THE ACFT DOVE FROM ABOUT 300 FT AGL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AN ELEVATOR CONTROL SEAT HORN HAD FAILED & SEPARATED IN FLT. PARTS OF THIS FAILED PART WERE NOT FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE. THIS CONTROL PART HAD BEEN MODIFIED WITH MORE SPACING WASHERS THAN REQUIRED WHICH INCREASED ITS TORSIONAL LOADING. AFTER THIS FAILURE, THE PLT HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE ACFT ELEVATOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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