Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cibolo, Texas 78108
Friday, July 31, 1992 10:49 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT HAD BEEN TROUBLESHOOTING A VIBRATION PRESENT IN HIS AIRPLANE FOR THE LAST 10 FLIGHT HOURS. AFTER THE BLADE ANGLES ON THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE REALIGNED HE FLEW THE AIRPLANE TO CHECK THE VIBRATION LEVEL. WHILE ON A LEFT DOWNWIND, THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE AND SEVERED A WING STRUT AND PORTION OF THE LEFT WING. AFTER BOTH OF THE BIPLANE'S LEFT WINGS COLLAPSED, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A LEFT VERTICAL SPIRAL AND IMPACTED IN AN OPEN PASTURE. SEPARATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT WAS A RESULT OF FATIGUE ORIGINATING IN THE THREADS AT A POSITION NORMALLY IN LINE WITH THE AFT FACE OF THE THRUST NUT. THE THRUST NUT ALSO FAILED IN FATIGUE. NUT CONFIGURATION WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE CONFIGURATION INDICATED IN THE ENGINEERING DRAWING. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT ESTABLISHED IF THIS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE FAILURE. THERE WAS ALSO NO EVIDENCE OF OVER TORQUE DURING INSTALLATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT DUE FATIGUE AND THE RESULTANT COLLAPSING OF THE LEFT WING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1049
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CIBOLO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78108
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 957 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 22
Weather Observation Facility ID RND
Elevation of weather observation facility 222
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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) 2451
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1220
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47222
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62552
NTSB Number FTW92FA197
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model A75
Aircraft Series Identifier A75
Aircraft Serial Number 75-3190
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 6 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 601
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PERDUE, HAROLD F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7838 VILLAGE OAK DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SAN ANTONIO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78233
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PERDUE, HAROLD F.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 7838 VILLAGE OAK DRIVE
Operator City SAN ANTONIO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78233
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 15R
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 15R
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 10:35AM
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 --