Westerly State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westerly, Rhode Island 02891
Saturday, June 1, 1991 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CESSNA 310 WAS ON FINAL APPROACH WHEN THE PILOT FELT A BUFFET AND LOST POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE MADE A MISSED APPROACH AND DIVERTED TO A VFR AIRPORT. HE LANDED WITH THE RIGHT PROPELLER AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR MISSING FROM THE AIRPLANE, WHCIH WERE NEVER RECOVERED. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE THREADS OF THE PROPELLER MOUNTING BOLTS CONTAINED THE THREADS FROM THE PROPELLER HUB. THIS IS INDICATIVE OF THE PROPELLER HUB THREADS HAVING BEEN OVER TORQUED AT SOME TIME IN THEIR LIFE. ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE PROPELLER HAD LAST BEEN INSTALLED 499 HOURS PRIOR TO PROPELLER SEPARATION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN PLACED IN A PROGRESSIVE INSPECTION PROGRAM WITH 50 HOUR INTERVALS FOR A 200 HOUR CYCLE. THE LOG BOOKS INDICATE THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN 65 HOURS SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER WHICH RESULTED IN THREAD FAILURE IN THE PROPELLER HUB AND SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER IN FLIGHT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RIGHT PROPELLER STRIKING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR CAUSING ITS SEPARATION FROM THE AIRPLANE AS THE PROPELLER DEPARTED THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WESTERLY
Event State RHODE ISLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02891
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WESTERLY STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WST
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 81
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 943
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44987
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:23AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3227A
NTSB Number NYC91LA153
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310R
Aircraft Series Identifier 310R
Aircraft Serial Number 310R 1881
Certified Max Gross Weight 5500
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Feb 21 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours 679
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PEDRO A. ROMERO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 125 STANLEY DR.
Aircraft Owner City GLASTONBURY
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06033
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PEDRO A. ROMERO
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 125 STANLEY DR.
Operator City GLASTONBURY
Operator State CT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 06033
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 HFD
Departure City HARTFORD
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 7
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --