Florence Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Florence, South Carolina 29501
Wednesday, November 26, 1997 15:44 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Following departure from an en route fuel and rest stop, the pilot reported a propeller problem and returned to the departure airport. The propeller was disassembled to repair what the pilot reported was a failure of the electrical pitch change for the propeller blades. According to witnesses, who saw and talked with the pilot as he worked on the airplane, he (the pilot) was upset over the failure, and he was anxious about hurrying to reach his destination. The pilot, who also held a homebuilt repairman certificate, did not follow the manufacturer's torquing procedures, which were to be followed after replacement of the propeller. After about an hour of flight, following the repairs, one propeller blade separated from the airplane, and a forced landing ensued. The airplane subsequently hit trees, then collided with the ground, inverted. Postcrash examination of the propeller indicated that a propeller blade had loosened during the flight, and subsequently it failed due to overload forces.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

improper maintenance procedures used by the pilot/repairman, which resulted in the loosening and eventual failure of the propeller. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's self-imposed pressure to hurry to the destination, and trees in the forced landing area.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/26/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1544
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FLORENCE
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29501
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLORENCE REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FLO
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 360
Airport Elevation 148
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID FLO
Elevation of weather observation facility 148
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1392
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 26 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1655
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N907ME
NTSB Number ATL98FA017
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MARK EWART
Aircraft Model VELOCITY STANDARD RG
Aircraft Series Identifier VELOCITY S
Aircraft Serial Number DMO-266
Certified Max Gross Weight 2250
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 330
Airframe Hours 378
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARK D. EWART
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3001 SPANISH TRAIL
Aircraft Owner City DELRAY BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33483
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LNA
Departure City LANTANA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HXB
Destination City WILMINGTON
Destination State DL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 19
Runway Length 6001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --