Andrew Afb Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Landover, Maryland 20784
Tuesady, August 24, 1993 19:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE INBOUND TO THE OUTER MARKER ON AN ILS APPROACH, THE TIP OF A PROPELLER BLADE SEPARATED AND A SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION OCCURRED. ALSO, THE RIGHT AILERON BECAME PARTIALLY SEPARATED AND THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING ROLL CONTROL. HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR TO REDUCE DRAG. AFTER CLEARING OBSTACLES, HE MADE A WHEELS-UP LANDING IN A FIELD ON HILLY TERRAIN. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE PROPELLER BLADE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF A PROPELLER BLADE, WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION AND SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LANDOVER
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20784
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANDREW AFB
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ADW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 7
Degrees magnetic from airport 10
Airport Elevation 281
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID ADW
Elevation of weather observation facility 281
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 963
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 24 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N74580
NTSB Number BFO93FA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20B
Aircraft Series Identifier M20B
Aircraft Serial Number 1909
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 22 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 2339
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS N. THOMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8120 BARD ST
Aircraft Owner City LORTON
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22079
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THOMAS N THOMPSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8120 BARD ST
Operator City LORTON
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 22079
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 W32
Departure City CLINTON
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code W32
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 19R
Runway Length 9700
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --