What happened
Following approximately 30 minutes of sightseeing flight, the pilot attempted to return to the airport by initiating a right bank. During this maneuver, the aircraft began a descent that could not be arrested, even with the application of full back pressure on the controls. In an attempt to recover, the pilot leveled the wings and applied full power; however, the aircraft subsequently impacted a river sand bar.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the up elevator cable had become disconnected from the control horn. Investigators recovered several components from the floor of the aircraft beneath the elevator control horn, including a bolt, several castle nuts, washers, sheet metal screws, a spacer, and a remnant of a cotter pin. Records indicated that the aircraft had flown 142 hours since its last annual inspection, which had been performed 10 months prior to the accident.