On June 24, 1998, a Cessna 170B (registration N3493C) was involved in an aviation accident near Oneonta, NY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The separation of the left rudder cable. A factor was chafing of the cable. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing, the airplane veered right. The pilot initiated a go-around but found no left rudder response, resulting in the aircraft settling into trees near the runway. Examination revealed a broken left rudder cable.
Incident
During the landing rollout, the airplane unexpectedly veered to the right. In response, the pilot attempted to execute a go-around. However, when the pilot applied left rudder input, there was no response from the rudder system. The airplane continued in a right turn, eventually settling into trees approximately 200 feet from the runway at an angle of 110 degrees from the runway heading.
Examination Findings
A post-incident examination of the aircraft revealed that the left rudder cable was broken. The cable had been replaced in July 1985 and had accumulated 454 hours of flight time since installation. It was found to be free of corrosion. Inspection of the broken cable showed that wire strand breaks varied along a 1-inch section of the cable, and numerous broken strands were bent backwards. The location of the cable break was near where the rudder cable passed through a bulkhead, then through a pulley mounted on the forward side of that bulkhead.
What happened in the 24 Jun 1998 Cessna 170B accident near Oneonta, NY?
During landing, the airplane veered right. The pilot initiated a go-around but found no left rudder response, resulting in the aircraft settling into trees near the runway. Examination revealed a broken left rudder cable.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 24 Jun 1998 involved a Cessna 170B, registration N3493C, at Oneonta, NY.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The separation of the left rudder cable. A factor was chafing of the cable.
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