Narrative:

On jan/xa/99 CFI took his student for a flight and declared emergency landing. He lost elevator control because battery got out of box and that broke up elevator cable. I did 100 hour inspection and don't recall there was anything wrong with a battery box. That airplane is parked outside all the time and during winter we do a lot of recharging of batteries. I'm not sure that somebody recharged battery since my 100 hour inspection but there is big possibility. FAA said that pilots did roll airplane which made all problems but also there is missing 'screw' which could contribute to problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he did the 100 hour inspection and the battery and battery box cover were secure with no fasteners missing. The reporter said the airplane is always parked outside and when it's cold the battery is regularly charged in the airplane by anyone available and not always by an a&P. The reporter said he believes when the aircraft was rolled the battery exited the box and the positive post of the battery struck the stabilator control cable arced cutting the cable and then spilled acid around the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PIPER ARROW AT 3300 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO LOSS OF PITCH CTL CAUSED BY A LOOSE MAIN SHIPS BATTERY SEVERING THE STABILATOR CTL CABLE.

Narrative: ON JAN/XA/99 CFI TOOK HIS STUDENT FOR A FLT AND DECLARED EMER LNDG. HE LOST ELEVATOR CTL BECAUSE BATTERY GOT OUT OF BOX AND THAT BROKE UP ELEVATOR CABLE. I DID 100 HR INSPECTION AND DON'T RECALL THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH A BATTERY BOX. THAT AIRPLANE IS PARKED OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME AND DURING WINTER WE DO A LOT OF RECHARGING OF BATTERIES. I'M NOT SURE THAT SOMEBODY RECHARGED BATTERY SINCE MY 100 HR INSPECTION BUT THERE IS BIG POSSIBILITY. FAA SAID THAT PLTS DID ROLL AIRPLANE WHICH MADE ALL PROBS BUT ALSO THERE IS MISSING 'SCREW' WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE DID THE 100 HR INSPECTION AND THE BATTERY AND BATTERY BOX COVER WERE SECURE WITH NO FASTENERS MISSING. THE RPTR SAID THE AIRPLANE IS ALWAYS PARKED OUTSIDE AND WHEN IT'S COLD THE BATTERY IS REGULARLY CHARGED IN THE AIRPLANE BY ANYONE AVAILABLE AND NOT ALWAYS BY AN A&P. THE RPTR SAID HE BELIEVES WHEN THE ACFT WAS ROLLED THE BATTERY EXITED THE BOX AND THE POSITIVE POST OF THE BATTERY STRUCK THE STABILATOR CTL CABLE ARCED CUTTING THE CABLE AND THEN SPILLED ACID AROUND THE AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.