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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

November 3, 1988 · Beech S-35 · N977KM

Matheson, CO

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Incident
Date
November 3, 1988
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Matheson, CO
Aircraft
Beech S-35
Tail Number
N977KM
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Minor
NTSB Number
DEN89IA028

The private pilot and a friend were enroute for a hunting trip. Thirty miles east of a refueling stop, the pilot heard a loud knock. Oil covered the windscreen and the engine seized. The pilot looked out the side window vent to select a forced landing area. A wheels-up landing was performed in a grain field. After exiting the aircraft, the pilot saw that the propeller was missing. Damage was reported as substantial, but a post-incident inspection revealed minor damage. The propeller was not found but two sheared propeller bolts, P/N A-2040, were found in the cowling. In a phone conversation, a Hartzell technical representative said the proper bolt for this installation is P/N A-1328-1. He said P/N A-2040 was superseded prior to 1970. Log books show this propeller was overhauled 83 flight hours prior to this incident. The repair shop reported that the bolts they removed were inspected and re-installed in the hub.

Full Narrative

THE PRIVATE PLT AND A FRIEND WERE ENROUTE FOR A HUNTING TRIP. THIRTY MILES EAST OF A REFUELING STOP, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD KNOCK. OIL COVERED THE WINDSCREEN AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE PLT LOOKED OUT THE SIDE WINDOW VENT TO SELECT A FORCED LANDING AREA. A WHEELS UP LANDING WAS PERFORMED IN A GRAIN FIELD. AFTER EXITING THE ACFT, THE PLT SAW THAT THE PROPELLER WAS MISSING. DAMAGE WAS REPORTED AS SUBSTANTIAL, BUT A POST INCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED MINOR DAMAGE. THE PROPELLER WAS NOT FOUND BUT TWO SHEARED PROPELLER BOLTS, P/N A-2040 WERE FOUND IN THE COWLING. IN A PHONE CONVERSATION, A HARTZELL TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE, SAID THE PROPER BOLT FOR THIS INSTALLATION IS P/N A-1328-1. HE SAID P/N A-2040 WAS SUPERSEDED PRIOR TO 1970. LOG BOOKS SHOW THIS PROPELLER WAS OVERHAULED 83 FLIGHT HRS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE REPAIR SHOP REPORTED THAT THE BOLTS THEY REMOVED WERE INSPECTED AND RE-INSTALLED IN THE HUB.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time14:00 MST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech S-35
Tail NumberN977KM
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageMinor
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-520-BA · Reciprocating · 285
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 28 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind360° @ 15 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data