History of Flight
On September 25, 2015, about 1550 central daylight time, a Cessna T310Q airplane, registration N301JA, experienced a flight control malfunction during takeoff initial climb and impacted the ground near Wichita, Kansas. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Wichita Dwight D Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) and was destined for Centennial Airport (APA), Denver, Colorado.
Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared to be flying normally before it suddenly pitched down and entered a rapid descent. The descent angle was described as greater than 45 degrees and between 50 and 70 degrees. Witnesses heard both engines at full throttle during the descent. The airplane impacted the ground on the east side of Cowskin Creek about 2 nautical miles northeast of ICT.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multi-engine land, airplane single-engine land, glider, and instrument airplane. No pilot logbooks were recovered. The pilot's most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on June 23, 2015, with the limitation requiring corrective lenses. On the application, the pilot reported about 470 total flight hours.
Aircraft Information
The six-seat airplane, serial number T310Q0611, was manufactured by Cessna Aircraft Company (now Textron Aviation) and issued its original airworthiness certificate on October 16, 1972. The airplane was registered to the pilot on September 26, 2014. The last annual inspection was completed on May 8, 2015, at a tachometer time of 187.7 hours.
Meteorological Information
The 1553 recorded weather observation at ICT included calm winds, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, broken ceilings at 8,000, 12,000, and 15,000 feet, temperature 29°C, dew point 14°C, and barometric altimeter 30.06 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Impact marks were consistent with a steep nose-down, right-wing-low attitude, with the right wingtip striking the ground first. The fuselage and wings came to rest inverted on the west side of the creek, the right wing folded under the fuselage. The fuselage aft of the baggage compartment was intact but with substantial impact damage; forward sections were substantially damaged. Both engines and propellers were underwater in the creek bed. The landing gear actuator was found fully retracted.
The right elevator remained partially attached; the elevator was separated spanwise outboard of the trim tab, and the inboard portion was distorted. The trim tab remained attached to the elevator. The elevator trim pushrod was attached to the trim tab but not to the actuator; the bolt, washer, castellated nut, and cotter pin securing the pushrod to the actuator were missing. The trim actuator was extended about 5/8 inch, outside its normal limits.
Flight control cable continuity was established for the rudder, right aileron, and elevators. The left aileron, all trim systems, and both flaps exhibited control cable overload separations.
Engine examinations revealed no evidence of preimpact anomalies or malfunctions. Both propellers showed signs of impact damage consistent with rotation at impact.
Additional Information
Cessna issued several service letters regarding self-locking fasteners, trim control system inspections, and trim tab actuator inspections, applicable to the accident airplane. A review of maintenance records from February 2006 through August 2015 found no entries of an elevator trim actuator overhaul. In response to this accident, Textron Aviation issued service bulletin MEB-27-02, requiring replacement of the elevator trim pushrod hardware. The FAA later issued Airworthiness Directives 2016-07-24 and 2016-17-08, requiring replacement and repetitive inspections.
The NTSB examination of the elevator, trim tab, and actuator at Textron Aviation's laboratory found witness marks consistent with the pushrod having moved fore and aft relative to the actuator after separation and becoming trapped behind the elevator spar. Measurements indicated that if the pushrod is disconnected, the trim tab deflects 39° trailing edge up, producing a nose-down pitching moment.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot attributed the cause of death to multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and drugs, but positive for ethanol in muscle tissue (none in liver).