Sunday, October 21, 2018

Cessna 170B, N2766D: Accident occurred November 08, 2017 at Dacy Airport (0C0), Harvard, McHenry County, Illinois

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:

Federal Aviation Administration; DuPage; Chicago, Illinois
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
McFarlane Aviation, Inc; Baldwin City, Kansas

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms 
 
http://registry.faa.gov/N2766D


Location: Harvard, IL
Accident Number: CEN18LA044
Date & Time: 11/08/2017, 1630 CST
Registration: N2766D
Aircraft: CESSNA 170B
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Flight control sys malf/fail
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On November 8, 2017, about 1630 central standard time, a Cessna 170B airplane, N2766D, experienced a flight control failure while landing at Dacy Airport (0C0), Harvard, Illinois. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plan had been filed for the flight. The flight departed Poplar Grove Airport (C77), Poplar Grove, Illinois, about 1615 and was en route to 0C0.

According to the pilot, during the landing flare to runway 27 (3,589 ft. by 105 ft., turf), about 6 to 12 inches above the runway, he experienced a "complete loss of flight controls," and the nose of the airplane dropped. The main landing gear settled to the runway; during the landing roll the pilot was able to reach the copilot control yoke and completed the landing roll without further incident.

An examination of the airplane revealed that the rivet in the universal joint (u-joint) for the pilot-side control tee (flight control yoke) had failed. The u-joint assembly was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C., for further examination and testing.

As received, the swivel block on half of the u-joint could be rotated. However, hand-applied torque of the close-fitting gage pin installed in the cross-drilled hole in the center pin revealed that the center pin could not be rotated about its main axis. Galling and material transfer wear scars were observed on the mating surfaces of the swivel block. The center pin exhibited wear scars and accumulated particulate debris consistent with adhesive wear. The outside diameter of the half pins exhibited material loss and wear debris deposits. The ends of the half pins that contacted the center pin exhibited adhesive wear. The rivet shank fractured due to fatigue crack propagation consistent with reversed bending. The vertical and horizontal yoke ears exhibited galling and adhesive wear signatures. Similar wear signatures were observed on the mating portions of the center pin. No lubricant was visible during the examination.

According to engineering data provided by McFarlane Aviation and confirmed during the examination, the block was manufactured out of 17-4PH stainless steel alloy. The rivet was manufactured from 300-series stainless steel with a nominal diameter of 3/32.

According to the airplane maintenance records, the universal joint had been replaced with a McFarlane Aviation, Inc. universal joint (part number MC6183) on April 1, 2016. The airplane had accumulated 119.1 hours of flight time between the time of replacement and the failure. Additionally, the airplane was sold in October of 2017 and the new owners had flown the airplane approximately 6 hours prior to the failure. The new owners did not detect any change in the control characteristics during that time.

According to the Cessna Service Manual, the joint should be inspected at every annual/100-hour inspection, for "…security, binding, cracks, looseness, and restricted travel…" The lubrication requirements according to the Cessna 170B owner's manual are as required or every 1,000 hours.

McFarlane Aviation, Inc., reported 500 u-joints were manufactured in a batch that could potentially experience this seizure and subsequent failure. On December 11, 2017, McFarlane Aviation, Inc., issued Service Bulletin SB-9, Revision A. This service bulletin called for the "mandatory and immediate" inspection of the u-joint, and replacement within 100 flight hours (or 1 calendar year) after the initial inspection, if the u-joint passed the initial inspection requirements. Immediate replacement was required for u-joints that did not pass the inspection.

The SB-9 also recommended the use of a rubber boot or sleeve to prevent debris from entering the joint and to maintain the level of lubrication. The rubber boot or sleeve was not a part of the original design from Cessna for this year, make, or model, and was not required to be installed.

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 46, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 02/03/2016
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/17/2016
Flight Time: 1650 hours (Total, all aircraft), 75 hours (Total, this make and model), 170 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 18 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N2766D
Model/Series: 170B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1952
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 25308
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 04/01/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1451 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2945 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-300-D
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 145 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KBUU, 780 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time: 1630 CST
Direction from Accident Site: 45°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 230°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.19 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 3°C / -2°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Poplar Grove, IL (C77)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Harvard, IL (0C0)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1615 CST
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Airport Information

Airport: Dacy Airport (0C0)
Runway Surface Type: Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 913 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 27
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3589 ft / 105 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  42.402222, -88.632222 (est)

Location: Harvard, IL
Accident Number: CEN18LA044
Date & Time: 11/08/2017, 1630 CST
Registration: N2766D
Aircraft: CESSNA 170B
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under:  Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On November 8, 2017, about 1630 central standard time, a Cessna 170B airplane, N2766D, experienced a flight control failure while landing at Dacy Airport (0C0), Harvard, Illinois. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was not damaged. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plan had been filed for the flight. The flight departed Poplar Grove Airport (C77), Poplar Grove, Illinois, about 1615 and was en route to 0C0.

According to the pilot, during the landing flare to runway 27 (3,589 ft. by 105 ft., turf), about 6 to 12 inches off of the runway, the flight controls failed and the nose of the airplane dropped. The pilot was able to reach over to the copilot control yoke and completed the landing without further incident. The airplane was not damaged during the landing.

An examination of the airplane revealed that the pin in the universal joint for the pilot-side control tee (flight control yoke) had failed. The part has been retained for further examination and testing by the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Manufacturer: CESSNA
Registration: N2766D
Model/Series: 170B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No 
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KBUU, 780 ft msl
Observation Time: 1630 CST
Distance from Accident Site: 
Temperature/Dew Point: 3°C / -2°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots, 230°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility:  10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.19 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Poplar Grove, IL (C77)
Destination: Harvard, IL (0C0)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: None
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude:  42.402222, -88.632222 (est)

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