N701YB – DELF TIM ZENITH CH-701 – 2011-04-12 NTSB Accident Report

On April 12, 2011, a Delf Tim ZENITH CH-701 (N701YB) was involved in an incident near Davenport, IA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The improper installation of the rudder cable to rudder pedal attachment hardware.

Prior to the flight, the pilot performed a preflight inspection, but he did not inspect the rudder pedals and rudder cable attachments. During takeoff, approximately 50 feet above ground level, the pilot felt something unusual with the left rudder pedal. The airplane immediately veered to the right, and the pilot initiated a climb in an attempt to troubleshoot the problem. Unable to determine what happened, the pilot maneuvered the airplane back to the airport. The airplane was difficult to control to the left and he determined he had to make a landing on the grass adjacent to the runway. During the landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN11CA282. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N701YB.