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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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April 16, 1994 · Piper PA-24-260 · N8572P

Spring Hill, FL

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 16, 1994
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Spring Hill, FL
Aircraft
Piper PA-24-260
Tail Number
N8572P
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
MIA94LA123

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE PILOT REPORTED A SEVERE VIBRATION. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER REVEALED THAT A PITCH CHANGE KNOB ON ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES WAS FAILED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED PITCH CHANGE KNOB REVEALED THAT IT FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause

UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING A FORCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADE'S PITCH CHANGE KNOB.

Full Narrative

On April 16, 1994, about 0815 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260, N8572P, registered to Roger L. Millheim, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near the Pilot Country Airport, Spring Hill, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the Pilot Country Airport, Spring Hill, Florida, about 7 minutes earlier. The pilot stated that during cruise flight he felt a severe vibration through the airframe which he attributed to be from the propeller. He attempted a forced landing on a road but during the descent, the airplane collided with the top of a 40-foot-tall dirt embankment. The airplane slid over the top down the other side coming to rest upright. The propeller was removed for examination which revealed that a pitch change knob on one of the propeller blades was failed. The failed knob and butt end of the propeller blade was sent to the NTSB Metallurgy Laboratory in Washington, DC, for examination. Metallurgical examination of the failed pitch change knob revealed that it failed due to fatigue. Review of the aircraft logbooks revealed that the propeller was overhauled on June 28, 1989. At the time of the accident the propeller had accumulated about 397 hours since overhaul.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:15 EDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-24-260
Tail NumberN8572P
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-D4A5 · Reciprocating · 260
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 47 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind130° @ 5 kt
Visibility12 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point70 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time11:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data