Amateur-built PECKERWOOD 1A1 accident near La Porte, Texas, June 22, 1996
On June 22, 1996 at about 1:22 pm local time, a amateur-built PECKERWOOD 1A1, registered N92506, was destroyed in an accident near La Porte, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper installation and subsequent failure of the elevator control cable clamps which led to the pilot's restricted pitch control and resultant stall/spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1996 · about 1:22 pm local time
- Place
- La Porte, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PECKERWOOD 1A1 PECKERWOOD
- Registration
- N92506 · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A video tape showed the unique experimental airplane flying downwind during its initial test flight with the nose oscillating up and down along the longitudinal axis. As the aircraft turned onto the base leg, the pitch oscillations continued. While turning to final, the nose pitched up and the airplane spun to the left until ground impact. Examination of the flight control system revealed that the elevator control cables were not installed properly at their terminal end splices, allowing the cable to slip and restrict pilot control inputs in the pitch axis.
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: 600 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 11, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,026 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75-8J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T41 at 2:20 pm
- Destination: T41
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from EFD
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.