Funk B85C accident near Leonard, Oklahoma, March 6, 2015
On March 6, 2015 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1946 Funk B85C, registered N81194, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Leonard, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the UP elevator cable turnbuckle which became disconnected during the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2015 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Leonard, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Funk B85C NO SERIES, built 1946 · all B85Cs on the register
- Registration
- N81194 · no longer on the register · serial 326
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was flying about 700 feet above the ground in cruise flight when he felt the control stick "pop" and the nose of the airplane pitch down. The pilot pulled back the throttle and turned off the magnetos. The passenger adjusted the elevator trim; however, the pitch attitude did not change. The pilot then entered a side slip which brought the nose up to level. He straightened the nose of the airplane just prior to it impacting the terrain. The airplane subsequently flipped inverted resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the UP elevator turnbuckle became detached at the elevator torque tube. The turnbuckle was not safety wired. New cables were installed in the airplane in 2007 and the turnbuckle most likely loosened over time.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during enroute defining event
- Loss of control in flight during enroute
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator control system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 140.8 hours in all; 25.1 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 17.6 in the last 30 days; 108.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 9, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,196.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 10, 2014; 22 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RVS Tulsa OK at 4:30 pm
- Destination: RVS Tulsa OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from RVS, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 29, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Passenger Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.