NTSB Faults Cessna and FAA in Tailcone Icing

The NTSB has issued its final report on the first of several incidents in which Cessna Citation 560XL Excels encountered rudder binding while in flight. The Board ruled that the manufacturer’s inadequate initial design and subsequent modifications of the aircraft’s tailcone allowed moisture to collect and freeze around rudder cables during flight above the freezing level, resulting in a loss of rudder authority. The Board cited the FAA’s lack of oversight of the manufacturer’s design and production as a contributing factor.

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