Incident Overview
On May 15, 2022, about 1320 central daylight time, a Cessna 421C, registration N619AC, sustained substantial damage during an accident near Monroe, Louisiana. The pilot and five passengers were not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight Sequence
The pilot reported that immediately after departing Morehouse Memorial Airport (BQP) in Bastrop, Louisiana, a loud pop was heard and the control yoke began oscillating violently. An emergency was declared, and the pilot diverted to Monroe Regional Airport (MLU), approximately 16 miles southwest, to access a longer runway and emergency services. The oscillation continued until the airplane was on final approach, about 3 miles from MLU, at which point it ceased. The pilot landed without further incident.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination revealed that the right elevator had mostly separated from the horizontal stabilizer; only a small portion of the inboard elevator remained attached. A small puncture was noted on the right side of the rudder. The elevator trim push-pull tube remained connected to the trim actuator, but the aft fork connection lacked a bolt, nut, or cotter pin, and the trim tab was missing. The push-pull tube showed no preaccident damage or anomalies. The remainder of the right elevator and trim tab were not located.
Maintenance History
A review of the airplane’s maintenance logbooks indicated that the elevator trim system was re-rigged on May 13, 2022, two days before the accident. The maintenance personnel who performed and signed off on the work stated that he did not ensure the push-pull tube hardware was reinstalled. He acknowledged checking other items but missing that step. The airplane had accumulated about 4 flight hours since the maintenance was completed.
Aftermath
As a result of the accident, the maintenance facility updated its company practices to include a secondary inspection sign-off and revised its work order close-out procedures.