N39S

On September 30, 2003, at 1700 central daylight time, a Sheppard S-2, N39S, registered to and operated by a private pilot, lost control in-flight and collided with the ground in Obion County, Tennessee. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the pilot received serious injuries. The flight departed Union City, Tennessee, on September 30, 2003, at 1645.

According to the pilot, while practicing steep turns at 2500 feet, elevator control was lost. The airplane began an uncontrolled descent, and collided with the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator control pushrod was broken. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the 1977 Sheppard S-2 airplane had accumulated a total of 1184 total airframe hours. No record of the time in service was recovered for the failed component. Efforts to recover information from the pilot failed.