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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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April 5, 1982 · Piper PA-31-350 · N123CB

Baconton, GA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 5, 1982
Injury Outcomes
5 injuries (3 serious injuries, 2 minor injuries)
Location
Baconton, GA
Aircraft
Piper PA-31-350
Tail Number
N123CB
Operator
Aircraft Service Center
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL82FA092

As the pilot was descending from 7000 to 5000 ft, he heard a loud bang, followed by a temporary vibration and a violent swerve to the right. He looked out the right window and thought the right engine had fallen off since all he could see was the tops of the engine mounts. The aircraft was controllable only after reducing the left engine power to idle. During a wheels up/forced landing, the plane tore through a fence, slid across a paved road, went over an embankment and began burning after it came to rest. The pilot received a back injury and had difficulty egressing. An investigation revealed the propeller hub had failed from fatigue which resulted in blade separation and subsequent engine tearaway. The engine had remained attached to the airframe by cables. Metallurgical examination of the hub revealed that the fatigue originated at a threaded grease fitting. Gouging was visible on the inner wall. A set of incorrect counterweights were found on the propeller. The counterweight's function was to reduce vibration.

Full Narrative

AS THE PILOT WAS DESCENDING FROM 7000 TO 5000 FT, HE HEARD A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY A TEMPORARY VIBRATION AND A VIOLENT SWERVE TO THE RIGHT. HE LOOKED OUT THE RIGHT WINDOW AND THOUGHT THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD FALLEN OFF SINCE ALL HE COULD SEE WAS THE TOPS OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTROLLABLE ONLY AFTER REDUCING THE LEFT ENGINE POWER TO IDLE. DURING A WHEELS UP/FORCED LANDING, THE PLANE TORE THROUGH A FENCE, SLID ACROSS A PAVED ROAD, WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT AND BEGAN BURNING AFTER IT CAME TO REST. THE PILOT RECEIVED A BACK INJURY AND HAD DIFFICULTY EGRESSING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PROPELLER HUB HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE WHICH RESULTED IN BLADE SEPARATION AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE TEARAWAY. THE ENGINE HAD REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME BY CABLES. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE HUB REVEALED THAT THE FATIGUE ORIGINATED AT A THREADED GREASE FITTING. GOUGING WAS VISIBLE ON THE INNER WALL. A SET OF INCORRECT COUNTERWEIGHTS WERE FOUND ON THE PROPELLER. THE COUNTERWEIGHT'S FUNCTION WAS TO REDUCE VIBRATION.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:15 EST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-31-350
Tail NumberN123CB
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorAircraft Service Center
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · 540-J2BD · Reciprocating · 350
Seats8

People & Injuries

Injury Summary5 injuries (3 serious injuries, 2 minor injuries)
Fatal0
Serious3
Minor2
Uninjured0
Total5
Crew 1Age 43 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind60° @ 6 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 600 ft
Temperature / Dew Point13 C / 0 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time21:55

Appendix: Source Data