Piper PA-34 incident near Palm Coast, Florida, July 17, 2013
On July 17, 2013 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34, registered N767PE, was involved in an incident during maneuvering near Palm Coast, Florida. It was an instructional 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 installation of an incorrect rudder trim tab control rod by unknown maintenance personnel, which resulted in the rod failing in flight due to overload and subsequent uncontrolled rudder oscillations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2013 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Coast, Florida · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34 200 · all PA-34s on the register
- Registration
- N767PE · registry record · serial 34-7350042
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction was recovering the airplane from a demonstrated minimum control airspeed condition. According to the flight instructor, the airplane was initially about 5,000 ft in a "clean" configuration. Both pilots then felt two "kicks" in the rudder system, which they then verbally confirmed to each other did not result from either of them making inputs. The pilot receiving instruction then heard a "snap," and the rudder pedals began to "pump" full deflection right and left. Subsequently, the flight instructor took control of the airplane and found that neither applying full rudder nor using both feet on the rudder neutralized the deflections. Even with both pilots trying to neutralize the rudders, the deflections continued. The flight instructor subsequently diverted the airplane to a nearby airport and landed it uneventfully. During the on-scene examination, the rudder trim tab control rod was found fractured near the trim tab end. The control rod was replaced, and, during subsequent flights, no further rudder anomalies occurred. Metallurgical examination of the rod revealed that it had failed in overload, and no evidence of fatigue or corrosion was found. Further examination revealed that the rudder trim control rod was composed of a low-alloy, 1000-series carbon steel. An airplane manufacturer representative indicated that the rod should have been composed of a higher grade, 4000-series steel. The airplane was manufactured in 1972, acquired by the current owner in 2005, and had 11,575 hours of operation at the time of the incident. It could not be determined when or by whom the rod was installed on the airplane; it was not installed during the airplane's current ownership.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Flight control sys malf/fail during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 567 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 157 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 493 as pilot in command; 360 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 23, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,575 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 2013; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming I0360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Phoenix East Aviation, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from OMN, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.