On April 13, 1992, a Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18A DROMADER (registration N41891) operated by A-1 Aviation Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Rockford, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: IMPROPER USE OF RUDDER TRIM AND POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH AIRCRAFT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During a positioning flight, a pilot on his first flight in the aircraft type failed to set the rudder trim correctly. At takeoff, the airplane drifted right, the pilot lost control, and the right wing struck a fence post.
Incident Overview
An accident occurred during a positioning flight involving a pilot who was on his first flight in that particular type of airplane. The incident took place on a narrow airstrip during the takeoff phase.
Sequence of Events
Before takeoff, the pilot did not correctly set the rudder trim. As the airplane became airborne, it drifted to the right side of the narrow airstrip. The pilot was unable to maintain control of the airplane. Subsequently, the airplane settled back to the ground, and the right wing struck a fence post.
Remarks
The investigation noted that this was the pilot's first flight in this type of airplane. The rudder trim was not set correctly prior to takeoff. No further details regarding the aircraft or operator have been provided.