Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Portsmouth, Ohio 45662
Wednesday, August 12, 1992 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID, 'WE WERE AT 2500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE STARTED EXPERIENCING A VERY VIOLENT VIBRATION....IT WAS VIBRATING SO BADLY I WAS AFRAID IT WAS GOING TO SHAKE THE ENGINE OFF THE AIRPLANE....I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF.' HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD WITH HIGH VEGITATION. THE FAA REPORT SAID, '...THE ENGINE VIBRATION WAS DUE TO WOOD PROPELLER DELAMINATION OVER ONE BLADE LEADING EDGE AND TIP. TRACES OF RUST WERE FOUND ON THE WOOD WHERE THE METAL INLAY WAS ATTACHED WITH STEEL SCREWS TO THE WOOD.' THE PROPELLER MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT STEEL SCREWS ARE USED TO SECURE THE LEADING EDGE TO THE WOOD BLADE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER LEADING EDGE AS THE RESULT OF CORROSION AND THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PORTSMOUTH
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45662
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2704
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47504
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N87945
NTSB Number NYC92LA163
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model J-3
Aircraft Series Identifier J-3
Aircraft Serial Number 15563
Certified Max Gross Weight 1270
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 Sep 28 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 2290
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KYLE W. KNORE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 1 BOX 289
Aircraft Owner City WHEELERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45694
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KYLE W. KNORE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RR 1 BOX 289
Operator City WHEELERSBURG
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 45694
Operator Code 1
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
Departure City MINFORD
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --