Date:	Tuesday 25 August 1992
Time:	05:15
Type:	Fairchild SA227-AC Metro III
Owner/operator:	Lone Star Airlines
Registration:	N342AE
MSN:	AC-545
Year of manufacture:	1983
Total airframe hrs:	19889 hours
Engine model:	Garrett TPE331-611
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	ca 1 km SE of Hot Springs-Memorial Field, AR (HOT) -   United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Hot Springs-Memorial Field, AR (HOT/KHOT)
Destination airport:	Hot Springs-Memorial Field, AR (HOT/KHOT)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The Metro III had undergone a mandatory replacement of all primary flight control cables (Airworthiness Directive 87-02-02) and had been prepared for a test flight. The aircraft lifted off, started a right roll and crashed. A half turn in the rooting of the control cable was omitted on both control columns, causing the ailerons to operate in reverse.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Inadequate maintenance and inspection by the operator's maintenance personnel, and the failure of the pilot-in-command to assure proper travel direction of the airplane's primary flight controls after being made aware of the nature of the maintenance performed. "

Flight International 2-8 September 1992 (17)
ICAO Adrep Summary 5/94 (#54)
NTSB

photo (c) Werner Fischdick; San Diego International Airport, CA (SAN); 18 July 1988

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