Summary
On February 23, 2008, a Cessna 140 (N3527V) was involved in an incident near Poplar Grove, IL. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The left wing skin "fabric patch" separated from the wing ribs and spars for an undetermined reason.
The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that he was in a steep right turn when he heard a "thump" which seemed to come from the tail section of the airplane. He leveled the wings and realized that he was "holding extreme right rudder with the pedal depressed to about three-fourths of its full travel." The CFI flew back to the airport that was 10 miles away. During the final approach to landing, the CFI flew the tail wheel equipped airplane to within 6 - 12 inches of the runway and let the airspeed bleed off prior to touchdown. He reported that he ran out of right rudder just as all three wheels touched down.
The inspection of the airplane revealed that a large section of the left wing's fabric had separated from the airplane.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CHI08CA087. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N3527V.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The left wing skin "fabric patch" separated from the wing ribs and spars for an undetermined reason.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that he was in a steep right turn when he heard a "thump" which seemed to come from the tail section of the airplane. He leveled the wings and realized that he was "holding extreme right rudder with the pedal depressed to about three-fourths of its full travel." The CFI flew back to the airport that was 10 miles away. During the final approach to landing, the CFI flew the tail wheel equipped airplane to within 6 - 12 inches of the runway and let the airspeed bleed off prior to touchdown. He reported that he ran out of right rudder just as all three wheels touched down.
The inspection of the airplane revealed that a large section of the left wing's fabric had separated from the airplane. Nine wing ribs plus the main and rear spars from wing station 58 to wing station 176 were visible as a result of the missing wing fabric. A review of the maintenance records indicated that on October 16, 2000, the left wing was repaired and a "fabric patch" was used to repair the wing's fabric.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI08CA087