Belvidere Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Poplar Grove, Illinois 61065
Tuesady, September 20, 1994 17:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH ATC AFTER EXPERIENCING WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS A LEFT ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONTROLLER GUIDED THE PILOT TO A NON-CONTROLLED AIRPORT FOR A LANDING. WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE ENTER DOWNWIND FOR THE SOUTHEAST RUNWAY. THEY SAID THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A TURN FROM BASE LEG TO FINAL APPROACH. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SPIN AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONE BLADE OF THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER BLADE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ASSEMBLY. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THE SEPARATION WAS INITIATED BY A FATIGUE FRACTURE NEXT TO THE BLADE'S INNER CLAMP. TWO OF THE CLAMP SCREWS HAD FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE OVERLOAD. THE INNER CLAMP HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH SCREWS THAT THE PROPELLER MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE BULLETIN SAID HAD TO BE CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT TYPE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Aircraft control not maintained by the pilot when he began his turn from base leg to final approach. Factors associated with this accident were the fatigue failure of a propeller blade, improper maintenance overhaul of the propeller, and a material defect in the propeller blade clamp screws.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1735
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City POPLAR GROVE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61065
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BELVIDERE AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID C77
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 330
Airport Elevation 850
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID RFD
Elevation of weather observation facility 736
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 13000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1867
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2146
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 19 2002 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9581Y
NTSB Number CHI94FA340
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model E95A
Aircraft Series Identifier E95A
Aircraft Serial Number TD523
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3815
Airframe Hours 3815
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HECTIC AIR INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1098 S. MILWAUKEE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City WHEELING
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60090
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ATO
Departure City WATERLOO
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1626
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PWK
Destination City WHEELING
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --