Takeoff and Initial Rotation
During the takeoff roll, the pilot pulled the control yoke aft to rotate the aircraft. The airplane lifted off the runway normally. Shortly after, the nose dropped, and the pilot applied additional backpressure on the yoke. The pilot reported feeling a "snap" followed by a loss of tension in the control yoke. The airplane pitched down and settled back onto the runway.
Runway Excursion
The pilot applied maximum braking and full thrust reverse, but the aircraft continued off the end of the runway. To avoid contacting a gas station, the pilot applied left rudder and brake to turn the airplane. During the turn, the landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage.
Occupant Injuries
Two passengers escaped with minor injuries. Seven other occupants were uninjured.
Postaccident Examination
Examination of the elevator control cable revealed a fracture at a pulley bracket near the aft fuselage, where the cable transitioned from horizontal to vertical orientation. Metallurgical analysis showed that nearly all wires of the cable had rubbing damage around the sides near the fracture. The upper guard pin exhibited wear, scratch marks, and gouges. The pulley contained isolated wire fragments. The damage pattern was consistent with the cable having been improperly routed on the wrong side of the upper guard pin. Over time, the cable likely rubbed against the upper guard pin until it weakened and failed under normal operating loads.
Maintenance History
A review of maintenance logbook entries found that the elevator cable had been replaced approximately one year before the accident. The airplane had flown about 316.5 hours before the cable separated.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was improper rigging of the elevator cable over the upper guard pin, which resulted in cable separation and loss of elevator control.