A C172 at 2000 ft performing power on stall had the left rudder pedal input fail. Caused by a failed...

Attributes
ACN	561946
Time
Date	200210
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	561946
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other other : person 1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While flying for annual standardization evaluation, was performing power-on stalls. Aggressive left rudder was needed at one stage. Plane was responding poorly to left rudder input. Left rudder pedal flopped forward when foot was removed and airplane flew severely out of rig (ball went all the way to the left). Cfii reported same on his side of the airplane. Landing was somewhat difficult, despite small crosswind (approximately 5 KTS) full left rudder was required. After landing left rudder cable was found to be completely stuck. Don't know yet if it broke or slipped off pulley or something else. Determined that this was an NTSB rptable item and proceeded accordingly. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane was checked prior to flight and the control surfaces appeared normal. The reporter said the airplane was 15 hours out of an annual inspection and appeared normal in every respect. The reporter stated maintenance was reported to have found a rudder cable turnbuckle broken or failed. The reporter said the maintenance findings were reported secondhand and not directly from the maintenance person correcting the malfunction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 AT 2000 FT PERFORMING PWR ON STALL HAD THE L RUDDER PEDAL INPUT FAIL. CAUSED BY A FAILED L RUDDER CABLE TURNBUCKLE.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING FOR ANNUAL STANDARDIZATION EVALUATION, WAS PERFORMING PWR-ON STALLS. AGGRESSIVE L RUDDER WAS NEEDED AT ONE STAGE. PLANE WAS RESPONDING POORLY TO L RUDDER INPUT. L RUDDER PEDAL FLOPPED FORWARD WHEN FOOT WAS REMOVED AND AIRPLANE FLEW SEVERELY OUT OF RIG (BALL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE L). CFII RPTED SAME ON HIS SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. LNDG WAS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT, DESPITE SMALL XWIND (APPROX 5 KTS) FULL L RUDDER WAS REQUIRED. AFTER LNDG L RUDDER CABLE WAS FOUND TO BE COMPLETELY STUCK. DON'T KNOW YET IF IT BROKE OR SLIPPED OFF PULLEY OR SOMETHING ELSE. DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS AN NTSB RPTABLE ITEM AND PROCEEDED ACCORDINGLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS CHKED PRIOR TO FLT AND THE CTL SURFACES APPEARED NORMAL. THE RPTR SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS 15 HRS OUT OF AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND APPEARED NORMAL IN EVERY RESPECT. THE RPTR STATED MAINT WAS RPTED TO HAVE FOUND A RUDDER CABLE TURNBUCKLE BROKEN OR FAILED. THE RPTR SAID THE MAINT FINDINGS WERE RPTED SECONDHAND AND NOT DIRECTLY FROM THE MAINT PERSON CORRECTING THE MALFUNCTION.

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.

A C172 at 2000 ft performing power on stall had the left rudder pedal input fail. Caused by a failed left rudder cable turnbuckle.