On November 3, 1994, a Cessna 185 (registration N6688H) was involved in an aviation accident near Elizabethton, TN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Heavy braking caused the locking assembly to flex enough to release. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a three-point landing demonstration, the co-pilot's left rudder pedal collapsed, causing loss of control. No component failure was found; heavy braking likely caused the locking assembly to flex and release.
Event Description
During a three-point landing demonstration, the left rudder pedal on the co-pilot's side of the cockpit collapsed. The instructor pilot subsequently lost control of the airplane.
Maintenance Findings
Examination of the rudder pedal assembly did not reveal any component failure. According to the maintenance inspector, the locking assembly was re-engaged and the rudder assembly then operated normally. The inspector concluded that heavy braking caused the locking assembly to flex enough to release.
The maintenance inspector also noted that there had been a few previous malfunctions of the locking assembly. Those incidents, reported by missionary pilots, were corrected by disabling the stow assembly and locking the pedals in the upright position.
Probable cause
Heavy braking caused the locking assembly to flex enough to release.