On Fri, 28 Sep 2018 09:03:52 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Thursday, September 27, 2018 at 12:01:38 PM UTC-7, wrote:
I agree that this appears to be an elevator failure. What pieces of the wreckage were retrieved? Was the horizontal stabilizer/elevator retrieved? Was the elevator bolt located (ripped out of the elevator, found in a side pocket, found in the trailer, etc). I have the ability to fly my Phoenix low level over the site on a suitable light east wind day and do a close search for the horizontal stab if it is missing. Finding the stab may be the key to solving this tragedy.


Maybe a tool left under the seat, which eventually jammed the elevator? A close inspection of the burned out wreckage may reveal any unusual metal tool.


This year a friend of mine had an incident in an old Duo Discus (not
one with the XL fuselage):


They had been missing sime tool (afaik the tool to assemble the
horizontal tail) for weeks and were unable to find it.

I'm not sure anymore about the details, but they found the tool close
to the forward stick mechanism after they had disassembled the forward
seat pan, and my friend said that anyone had agreed that it could have
easily jammed the stick. It was impossible to find it during the
preflight check.

If someone is interested in the details I could call my friend and
post them here.


I'd be very surprised if something else than a blocked stick by FOD
was the cause for this accident.



Cheers from Germany
Andreas