On May 21, 1994, a Piper PA-12 (registration N7867H) operated by Stanley Sieja, Jr. was involved in an aviation accident near Wausaukee, WI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to secure the control stick with the safety pin before the flight. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During final approach, turbulence caused the pilot to inadvertently pull the control stick from its mounting. The airplane impacted nose-down, bounced, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported failing to secure the stick with the safety pin before flight.
Accident Sequence
During the landing approach, the pilot, who was operating the airplane from the rear seat, cleared the tree line and performed a sideslip maneuver to increase the rate of descent. While between twenty and thirty feet above the ground, the airplane experienced turbulence, which inadvertently caused the pilot to pull the control stick upward. The stick separated from its mounting point on the cabin floor. Without the stick in place, the airplane descended nose-down and struck the ground, bouncing before coming to rest inverted.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that he had failed to insert the safety pin that would have secured the stick before the flight. He reported that there were no mechanical failures before impact.
Findings
No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported. The pilot's failure to secure the control stick with the safety pin was noted.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to secure the control stick with the safety pin before the flight.