Amateur-built Rotec Rally 3 accident near Searcy, Arkansas, July 24, 2003
On July 24, 2003 at about 2:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Rotec Rally 3, registered N317RE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Searcy, Arkansas (Searcy Muni 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 frayed rudder cable that failed during the turn to final. A factor was the ditch the airplane encountered during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2003 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Searcy, Arkansas · Searcy Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rotec Rally 3
- Registration
- N317RE · no longer on the register · serial 25186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following an in-flight rudder cable failure. The pilot stated, " As I made my turn south (Final) applying right rudder the right rudder cable broke. Because of pressure being applied to both rudder pedals I inadvertently applied left rudder causing the aircraft to go into a death spiral. I applied full right [ailerons] but continued to spiral after three to five rotations I used basic spin recovery and was able to level the aircraft and maintain minimal control at about 250 ft [above ground level]. I landed in an empty lot which was not quite long enough for roll out and came to rest in a ditch ... ." Examination of the failed cable revealed the ends of the separation were frayed.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 950 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 15, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 275 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 11, 2003; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 665 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRC Searcy AR at 2:30 pm
- Destination: SRC Searcy AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,007 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from SRC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.