Amateur-built Stoddard-Hamilton TD accident near Bloomington, Indiana, April 14, 2013
On April 14, 2013 at about 8:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Stoddard-Hamilton TD, registered N95RL, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Bloomington, Indiana (Monroe County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of a rudder control cable connector and its subsequent separation from the bellcrank, which resulted in the loss of directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2013 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bloomington, Indiana · Monroe County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Stoddard-Hamilton TD
- Registration
- N95RL · no longer on the register · serial 609
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost directional control during the takeoff roll, and the airplane veered off the runway and impacted terrain. A postaccident examination of the flight control system revealed that the right rudder control cable had slipped out of a connector and detached from the bellcrank due to the improper crimping of the connector collar.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Owner/builder
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 135 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 94 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,064 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMG Bloomington IN at 8:45 pm
- Destination: 1I9 Delphi IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BMG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.