Taylor Smith Mini DSA-1 accident near Sultan, Washington, July 22, 2001
On July 22, 2001 at about 2:20 am local time, a Taylor Smith Mini DSA-1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N53BT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sultan, Washington. 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 separation/loss of the bolt and castle nut which connected the elevator bellcrank to the control stick pushrod resulting in a disconnect between the cockpit and the control surface and ultimately, the pilot's total loss of pitch control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2001 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Sultan, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylor Smith Mini DSA-1, amateur-built
- Registration
- N53BT · registry record · serial 01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While flying westbound along US Highway 2, the pilot made an elevator input in the homebuilt, experimentally certificated Smith Mini DSA-1 aircraft, and became aware that the control stick had no effect on pitch attitude. After an initial climb, the aircraft transitioned into a descent and the pilot retarded the throttle to idle and bailed out, parachuting safely to the ground. A post-crash examination was unable to locate the one-quarter inch diameter bolt, which connects the control stick push rod to the elevator actuating bellcrank. The loss of this bolt would result in a disconnection between the pilot's control stick and the elevator, and the subsequent inability by the pilot to maintain pitch control of the aircraft.
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: 3,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 750 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 2001; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EPH Ephrata WA at 1:30 am
- Destination: S86 Sultan WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from PAE, 40 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.
Other NTSB records under N53BT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.