Date: 201308
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: Mixed
Weather elements / visibility: 10
Light: Dusk
Aircraft: Amateur/Home Built/Experimental
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: VFR
Mission: Training
Flight phase: Final Approach
Airspace: Class G ZZZ
ATC / advisory: UNICOM ZZZ
Aircraft component: Rudder Control System
Component problem: Failed
Reporter organization: Personal
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Single Pilot
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Student
Human factors: Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate; In-flight
Result: Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: On base leg to landing I realized that I did not have left rudder. Upon landing there was no accident. I brought the plane in safely. [The next day] I phoned Glasair and was unable to reach anyone with authority. [The day after the next day] I spoke with [Mr. X]. He was unable to make any decisions. He thought possibly the springs came off the rudder. I went back to the airport and found that the springs were in place. I then had to remove the interior of the plane. Once removed; I discovered that the left rudder cable was sheared off (99%) holding by one cord and the cable unraveled. I spoke again several times [five days after the incident] and every day since. Glasair wants me to give them a reason why this cable has sheared and came apart...I cannot answer. This plane is an experimental Sportsman 2+2 that I went to the factory for. [I] spent a month building this plane and was accredited with 51%. The company built 49%. The cable pulley system was installed by Glasair. The plane was inspected by the FAA and passed. I was unable to bring the plane home until [three months after building it] because it was not completed as promised by Glasair. I had to fly 40 hours off before I was able to leave the state.From what I can find is that some of the cables were rubbing on the side of the pulley hangers and rubbed on the retainer guides. Assessed damage so far cables and autopilot cable broken and wedged in pulley. At the present time Glasair stated that they will not be able to send anyone here until [the middle of the next month] or later. This is unacceptable because it could be a failure in this plane or others.

Callback: The reporter stated that the 4 FT cable's eyelet end near a turnbuckle; the end opposite the rudder spring attachment; frayed and looked like a bird's nest. A single strand of metal fiber was all that remained. He has been unable to determine exactly why it frayed. The Manufacture supplied replacement parts but the A and P who reassembled the system commented about that the cable was not all stainless steel because it had a magnetic quality indicating that it contained some ferrous metal. The Mechanic was somewhat concerned that the cable was not coated for environmental protection as well as friction reduction. The aircraft is flying again but will be frequently inspected.



Synopsis: A Glasair/Sportsman 2+2 left rudder became inoperable in flight. The pilot discovered cables rubbing on the side of the pulley hangers and the retainer guides which caused the left rudder cable to shear.