N103MV

On April 13, 2000, at about 1230 eastern daylight time, a Velox Rev II, N103MV, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced a flight control malfunction in flight while maneuvering in the vicinity of Mulberry, Florida. The pilot bailed out of the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot reported minor injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The flight originated from Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida, about 10 minutes before the accident.

The pilot stated he departed LAL and was practicing an aerobatic sequence in preparation for the airshow at Sun n' Fun. He completed several maneuvers and experienced a loss of elevator control while inverted and pointed slightly down. He jettisoned the canopy and bailed out of the airplane. He landed about 1,000 feet from the airplane which crashed adjacent to a public highway.

Examination of the flight control system revealed the elevator pitch control rod was fractured. The elevator pitch control rod was forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further analysis. Examination of the elevator pitch control rod revealed it was fractured through the end fitting and tube section. Optical examinations revealed the failures were consistent with bending overstress separations. No evidence of preexisting cracking, corrosion, or other damage was found. (For additional information see NTSB Materials Laboratory Factual Report No. 00-077, an attachment to this report.)

The airplane was released to Mr. Daniel H. McCan, registered owner of N103MV on April 13, 2000. The fractured elevator pitch control rod was released to Mr. McCan on July 11, 2000.