On July 2, 1997, a Beech 95-B55 (registration N6663C) was involved in an aviation accident near Longview, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the rudder pedal bell crank from the right seat side due to an overload fracture. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A flight instructor reported a rudder pedal failure during taxi after a student initiated a tight turn. Examination revealed a broken bell crank from the right seat, which failed due to overload with no preexisting defects.
Incident Description
A flight instructor reported that while taxiing to parking, a student pilot initiated a right turn that was too tight. The instructor applied left rudder to counteract the turn. An audible 'pop' was heard, and the left rudder pedal subsequently went to the floor. The airplane was stopped and pushed into its parking space.
Postincident Examination
A postincident examination of the rudder system revealed that the rudder pedal bell crank from the right seat side was broken.
Metallurgical Analysis
The airplane manufacturer's Metallurgical Engineering Laboratory examined the bell crank's aft arm fracture. The laboratory determined that the fracture occurred due to overload. Additionally, the analysis found no indications of preexisting cracks or material defects in the bell crank's aft arm.