N61EF

On April 6, 2021, about 1500 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Bushby Mustang M II, N61EF, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Worcester, Massachusetts. The flight instructor and the pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The commercial pilot, who was the new owner of the airplane, stated that he hired the flight instructor to ferry the airplane from Fresno, California to Worcester Regional Airport (ORH), Worcester, Massachusetts. Then the flight instructor was to provide him with 3 hours of dual flight instruction before his insurance coverage would be effective. He further stated that on the day of the accident, the flight instructor had him perform three high-speed taxis to demonstrate directional control. The flight instructor was pleased with the control shown and cleared him for flight. During takeoff, about 6 feet above ground level, the airplane began a roll to the right. The pilot stated he attempted to apply left aileron control but was unable to move the control stick to the left. He told the flight instructor about the problem and they both tried to move the control stick to the left, but it would not move. At this point, the pilot aborted the takeoff and landed the airplane in the grass to the right side of the runway. Both main landing gears collapsed, and the airplane slid to a stop. They shut down the electrical system, shut off the fuel, and egressed the airplane.

The flight instructor’s description of the accident flight was consistent with that provided by the pilot.

The wreckage was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. An attempt to cycle the control stick was unsuccessful with binding in movement to the left. Examination of the left aileron bellcrank and push/pull rod revealed that the rod was contacting the access hole in the aft spar. The rivets that hold the threaded insert into the rod were contacting the edge of the spar and binding. After disconnecting the left aileron push/pull rod from the bellcrank, the control stick moved freely in the full range of motion.