Introduction
A pilot reported that during a climb, the aircraft experienced a sudden deviation to the right as the flaps were being retracted. The incident occurred at an altitude of approximately 30 to 40 feet above ground level (AGL).
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, the aircraft unexpectedly yawed to the right at the moment of flap retraction. In response, the pilot applied left aileron and left rudder to counteract the lateral movement. While this corrective action began to recover the aircraft's attitude, there was insufficient altitude remaining to complete the recovery. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground.
Investigation Findings
An investigation into the accident revealed that the right flap cable, part number 166300-12, had failed. The cable had been installed on the aircraft in 1971 and had accumulated 2,651 flight hours at the time of the failure. No other contributing factors were identified in the report.