LONG BEACH, CA, USA
N86640
GRUMMAN G21A
DURING THE 18-MONTH PERIOD PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT THE ACFT HAD BEEN REBUILT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT TO LEAK-CHECK THE HULL BEFORE PAINTING. SEVERAL WATER LANDINGS WERE MADE; THE LAST BEING REFERRED TO BY A WITNESS 'IT HIT THE WATER'. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE RETURNING TO LONG BEACH ALL ELEVATOR CONTROL WAS LOST. HE ELECTED TO LAND BACK IN THE WATER, AND FORGOT THE WHEELS WERE DOWN. THE LANDING WAS MADE USING POWER AND ELEV TRIM, AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER NEAR THE SHORELINE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A DISCOLORED & CORRODED ELEV CONTROL CABLE TURNBUCKLE THAT HAD FAILED DUE TO STRESS CORROSION CRACKING, WITH THE FINAL FAILURE MODE OF TENSILE OVERLOAD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT MADE A WATER LANDING IN OVER ONE YEAR. ABOUT 2-1/2 HRS AFTER THE OCCURRENCE THE PILOT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.022%.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT WHEELS-DOWN LANDING IN WATER. IN ADDITION, A LOSS OF ELEVATOR CONTROL WAS ENCOUNTERED DUE TO A STRESS CORROSION FAILURE OF AN ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLE TURNBUCKLE AS A RESULT OF INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: A PREVIOUS HARD LANDING AS A RESULT OF AN IMPROPER LEVEL-OFF, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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