Narrative:

Indication=autoplt disconnect in heavy turbulence plus loss of altitude--500' due to decrease in pilot's ability to recover (rudder loose at this point). Poor rudder control on approach to landing (30 degrees crosswind gusty, 25 gusting 30). Upon approach at dpa poor rudder control was apparent to the pilot after a landing approach was aborted. The tower was asked by the captain to visually inspect the rudder for proper action. No rudder action was observed, confirming a damaged rudder control system. A local airport with a runway into the wind was requested by the captain at this time. None was available. The captain then requested the tower call the charter company for instruction as required by the company flight operation manual. It was determined that winds at the aircraft base of operations were favorable for landing, so a return flight was made. Normal landing was made. After landing during taxi and attempted securing of the aircraft, the rudder was further damaged by the wind. Inability to do a safe crosswind landing. Cause: wind damage, correctable through strict use of external control lock on the small transport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: revealed the aircraft was in landing confign and severe turbulence below 1000' AGL when approach broke off. Still had some rudder control with the trim tab, but that was all, examination revealed several worn components in rudder system. Figure shook loose on the ground and then turbulence in air during flight caused the failure. Have been other cases and mfg knows of problem and external gust locks should be used for extended parking or in gusty conditions for short parking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT ENCOUNTERS SEVERE TURBULENCE AND PARTIAL LOSS OF RUDDER. DIVERTED TO ORIGINATION STATION DUE HIGH CROSSWINDS AT DESTINATION.

Narrative: INDICATION=AUTOPLT DISCONNECT IN HEAVY TURB PLUS LOSS OF ALT--500' DUE TO DECREASE IN PLT'S ABILITY TO RECOVER (RUDDER LOOSE AT THIS POINT). POOR RUDDER CTL ON APCH TO LNDG (30 DEGS XWIND GUSTY, 25 GUSTING 30). UPON APCH AT DPA POOR RUDDER CTL WAS APPARENT TO THE PLT AFTER A LNDG APCH WAS ABORTED. THE TWR WAS ASKED BY THE CAPT TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE RUDDER FOR PROPER ACTION. NO RUDDER ACTION WAS OBSERVED, CONFIRMING A DAMAGED RUDDER CONTROL SYS. A LCL ARPT WITH A RWY INTO THE WIND WAS REQUESTED BY THE CAPT AT THIS TIME. NONE WAS AVAILABLE. THE CAPT THEN REQUESTED THE TWR CALL THE CHARTER COMPANY FOR INSTRUCTION AS REQUIRED BY THE COMPANY FLT OPERATION MANUAL. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WINDS AT THE ACFT BASE OF OPS WERE FAVORABLE FOR LNDG, SO A RETURN FLT WAS MADE. NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE. AFTER LNDG DURING TAXI AND ATTEMPTED SECURING OF THE ACFT, THE RUDDER WAS FURTHER DAMAGED BY THE WIND. INABILITY TO DO A SAFE XWIND LNDG. CAUSE: WIND DAMAGE, CORRECTABLE THROUGH STRICT USE OF EXTERNAL CONTROL LOCK ON THE SMT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: REVEALED THE ACFT WAS IN LNDG CONFIGN AND SEVERE TURB BELOW 1000' AGL WHEN APCH BROKE OFF. STILL HAD SOME RUDDER CONTROL WITH THE TRIM TAB, BUT THAT WAS ALL, EXAMINATION REVEALED SEVERAL WORN COMPONENTS IN RUDDER SYS. FIGURE SHOOK LOOSE ON THE GND AND THEN TURB IN AIR DURING FLT CAUSED THE FAILURE. HAVE BEEN OTHER CASES AND MFG KNOWS OF PROB AND EXTERNAL GUST LOCKS SHOULD BE USED FOR EXTENDED PARKING OR IN GUSTY CONDITIONS FOR SHORT PARKING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.