Xtremeair GMBH SBACH 342 accident near Springerville, Arizona, April 4, 2011
On April 4, 2011, a Xtremeair GMBH SBACH 342, registered N142WP, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Springerville, Arizona (Springerville Municipal Airpor 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 pilot's failure to properly secure loose objects in the cockpit area which resulted in a personal locator beacon becoming lodged in the elevator control torque tubes, restricting flight control movement.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2011
- Place
- Springerville, Arizona · Springerville Municipal Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Xtremeair GMBH SBACH 342
- Registration
- N142WP · no longer on the register · serial 004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While descending from 10,500 feet to 8,500 feet on approach to the airport, the airplane encountered light turbulence and the pilot heard a noise emanating from the rear seat. The pilot immediately realized that the pitch control had become jammed and the range of available movement was minimal. He manipulated the trim to control the nose-down position, and continued the flight to the airport (the closest airport to his position). Upon crossing the threshold for landing, he reduced the power and the airplane touched down, bouncing twice before ground looping and coming to rest off the runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the pilot's personal location beacon (PLB) had become lodged in the bellcrank for the elevator torque tube. Once the PLB was removed, the elevator moved freely.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute (cruise)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator control system › Damaged/degraded
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,167 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 14, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 356 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-580-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDS Childress TX at 9:21 pm
- Destination: SOW Show Low AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 8,422 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 27 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from SJN, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.