N7037W

On Saturday, October 22, 1994, at 1600 eastern daylight time, a Pitts S-1C, N7037W, registered to and piloted by George J. Emer, was destroyed by impact with the terrain in Galeville, New York. The pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot was performing acrobatic maneuvers, when he lost rudder control. He was unable to recover from the maneuver, and he elected to parachute from the airplane. The airplane continued out of control and impacted terrain.

In his report, the pilot stated:

I entered a left snap roll at approximately 1800' AGL. On recovery (full right rudder) the right rudder pedal disconnected from the rudder cable. The aircraft entered a left spin...and did not respond to any control input. I jumped out of the aircraft at approximately 700' and deployed my parachute.

Mr. Ray Darling, an Airworthiness Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, examined the wreckage. In a telephone interview, Mr. Darling stated that he found "the clevis pin for the right rudder cable was missing."