N5062P

On January 15, 1997, at 1510 central standard time, a Bellanca 8KCAB airplane, N5062P, was substantially damaged while landing near LaPorte, Texas. The instrument rated private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. The airplane, registered to a private owner and operated by Harvey & Rihn Aviation, was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed from the LaPorte Municipal Airport at approximately 1430.

The pilot stated that after departing the airport, he proceeded to the local practice area where he practiced aerobatics maneuvers for about 30 minutes. After a few maneuvers, he reported encountering control problems in the airplane's pitch axis and elected to return to the airport.

According to the operator, the pilot contacted them on their Unicom and advised them that the airplane was experiencing elevator control problems. He reported his position as 10 miles southeast of the airport and advised the traffic that he was proceeding straight in to runway 30. The operator stated that the pilot was unable to move the elevator or the elevator trim, but managed to control the airplane's pitch and altitude with power.

After clearing trees near the airport, the airplane touched down short of the airport, bounced, went through the airport's perimeter fence, impacted a fire hydrant and skidded to a stop approximately 1/4 mile short of the threshold for runway 30. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector and the operator confirmed structural damage to the fuselage, wings, and main landing gear.

Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector and the operator revealed that a chromed adjustment buckle of the type normally utilized for the shoulder harness straps was blocking the movement of the elevator control tube at the elevator bellcrank. A review of the airplane records by the FAA inspector revealed that the shoulder harnesses were replaced by a mechanic 90 flight hours prior to the accident.