On 6 Mar 2015, a FUNK B85C NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Leonard, OK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The improper installation of the UP elevator cable turnbuckle which became disconnected during the flight. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 3 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During cruise at 700 ft AGL, pilot felt control stick pop, nose pitched down. Throttle reduced, magnetos off. Side slip recovered nose level before impact; airplane flipped inverted, substantial damage.
Incident Description
During cruise flight at approximately 700 feet above ground level, the pilot felt the control stick "pop" and the nose of the airplane pitch downward. The pilot pulled back the throttle and turned off the magnetos. The passenger adjusted the elevator trim, but the pitch attitude did not change. The pilot then entered a side slip, which brought the nose up to level. He straightened the nose of the airplane just prior to impact with terrain. The airplane subsequently flipped inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
Examination Findings
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the UP elevator turnbuckle had become detached at the elevator torque tube. The turnbuckle was not safety wired. The examination also noted that new cables were installed in the airplane in 2007.