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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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June 23, 1991 · Green-Fowler Pazmany PL-1 Pazmany PL · N4081K

Wrightwood, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 23, 1991
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury)
Location
Wrightwood, CA
Aircraft
Green-Fowler Pazmany PL-1 Pazmany PL
Tail Number
N4081K
Operator
Lawrence Tomasello
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX91LA269

The aircraft was in cruise flight at about 5,600 feet mean sea level when the pilot heard a loud noise followed by severe vibrations. The pilot pulled the fuel mixture control and entered a power-off forced landing. On short final, the pilot noticed wires in his glide path. He maneuvered the aircraft under the wires. He landed on uneven terrain and the aircraft nosed over. Investigation revealed that about 17 inches of one propeller blade outboard section failed due to fatigue. The propeller was cut down from a 74' diameter to a diameter of 68' and put on the aircraft with a Lycoming 0-320 E engine. This is an unapproved combination and the propeller failed after about 20 hours of flight time in that combination. An independent laboratory examined the propeller and concluded that the fatigue failure was as a result of a forging defect. The NTSB laboratory reviewed that report and determined that the independent laboratory's conclusion was not substantiated.

NTSB Probable Cause

FATIGUE FRACTURE OF ONE OF THE TWO PROPELLER BLADES CAUSED BY THE PROPELLER MODIFICATION AND THE NON-APPROVED PROPELLER-ENGINE COMBINATION. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE TRANSMISSION WIRES AS AN OBSTACLE IN THE GLIDE PATH DURING THE ATTEMPTED FORCED LANDING.

Full Narrative

THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT ABOUT 5,600 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL WHEN THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY SEVERE VIBRATIONS. THE PILOT PULLED THE FUEL MIXTURE CONTROL AND ENTERED A POWER-OFF FORCED LANDING. ON SHORT FINAL, THE PILOT NOTICED WIRES IN HIS GLIDE PATH. HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT UNDER THE WIRES. HE LANDED ON UNEVEN TERRAIN AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ABOUT 17 INCHES OF ONE PROPELLER BLADE OUTBOARD SECTION FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. THE PROPELLER WAS CUT DOWN FROM A 74' DIAMETER TO A DIAMETER OF 68' AND PUT ON THE AIRCRAFT WITH A LYCOMING 0-320 E ENGINE. THIS IS AN UNAPPROVED COMBINATION AND THE PROPELLER FAILED AFTER ABOUT 20 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME IN THAT COMBINATION. AN INDEPENDENT LABORATORY EXAMINED THE PROPELLER AND CONCLUDED THAT THE FATIGUE FAILURE WAS AS A RESULT OF A FORGING DEFECT. THE NTSB LABORATORY REVIEWED THAT REPORT AND DETERMINED THAT THE INDEPENDENT LABORATORY'S CONCLUSION WAS NOT SUBSTANTIATED.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:50 PDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftGreen-Fowler Pazmany PL-1 Pazmany PL
Tail NumberN4081K
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorLawrence Tomasello
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320E · Reciprocating · 160
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 50 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind260° @ 14 kt
Visibility40 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Observation Time18:45
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data