Page:CAB Aircraft Accident Report, AAXICO LOGAIR Trip 7002.pdf/1

 File No 1-0054

ADOPTED: March 30, 1960

At 1716, September 2, 1959, AAXICO LOGAIR Trip 7002 crashed on runway 16 at Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas. The crash occurred while the pilots were attempting to land the aircraft with the elevator controls inoperative. The captain and copilot, the only persons aboard, were killed. The aircraft, a C-46F, N 5140B, was demolished.

Examination of the longitudinal control system of the aircraft disclosed that the aft end of the aft link assembly was disconnected from the clevis in the elevator control horn assembly. This condition would render the elevator control inoperative.

From irrefutable physical evidence the Board concludes that the bolt which normally secures the link assembly-clevis attachment was not in place at impact. It concludes that the bolt worked out following departure from Dyess AFB, resulting in the loss of control which caused the accident. The Board further concludes that the bolt worked out because it was improperly secured, a condition which should have been detected during a No. 2 maintenance inspection completed just prior to the origination of Trip 7002. The inspection was performed by Associated Airmotive, Inc., a certificated repair station which performed under contract the maintenance work for AAXICO.

AAXICO Trip 7002 of September 2, 1959, was operated as an air cargo flight incident to the carrier's logistical air support contract with the United States Air Force. Pursuant to the contract, the carrier served numerous Air Force Bases on a regular schedule using 33 C-46F aircraft and flying several million miles annually. Trip 7002 was the first flight for C-46, N 5140B following a No. 2 maintenance inspection. This inspection was performed by Associated Airmotive, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, an approved repair station which performed, under contract with AAXICO, all maintenance work relevant to the accident.

The assigned flight crew of Trip 7002 consisted of Captain William J. Pagus and Copilot Erceill D. Maher. Both pilots were currently certificated for the flight operation and both were experienced C-46 pilots. USCOMM-DC-25307