Excel's Rudder Bound Up Due To Icing Interference

The NTSB has released details confirming another report of icing having created control issues for at least two of Cessna's popular 560XL bizjets. This is the second documented report of such a problem... this one occurring when a Birmingham bound Cessna experienced rudder control issues (binding) and discovered ice in the tailcone, control cables and pulleys following an uneventful landing.

NTSB Identification: CEN11IA111
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Incident occurred Monday, December 13, 2010 in Birmingham, AL
Aircraft: CESSNA 560XL, registration: N498AB
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On December 13, 2010, about 0657 central standard time, a Cessna 560XL, N498AB, experienced rudder binding during landing at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM), near Birmingham, Alabama. The two pilots and one passenger were not injured and the airplane was not damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight was operating on an activated instrument flight rules flight plan. The non-scheduled domestic passenger flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135. The flight departed from the Teterboro Airport, near Teterboro, New Jersey, about 0442, and was destined for BHM.

A post flight examination inside the airplane's tailcone revealed ice around the rudder’s control cables and pulleys.

A previous Cessna 560XL incident occurred on December 1, 2010, when another Cessna 560XL sustained rudder cable binding during landing. Ice was also found in its tailcone. That incident investigation is under NTSB ID number CEN11IA087.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov