Lake City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake City, Florida 32024
Saturday, July 10, 1999 13:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While at a cruise altitude of 2,500 feet msl the pilot reported that the airplane started to vibrate. He attempted to shut down the engine with no response. He elected to land at a nearby airport, and landed without incident. Examination of the airplane revealed that the propeller came loose from the flange. All of the propeller bolts were found backed out, and none of the bolts were safety wired. The pilot had just purchased the airplane. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that several inches of the leading edge of one blade of the propeller was missing. One of two propeller blades split in half from the center to the tip, the propeller bolts were found loose, and all evenly backed out approximately one quarter inch. No locking device or safety wires were attached to the bolt heads. The data sheet does not list the propeller for installation on this aircraft. There were no log book entries found to indicate that the propeller bolts were torqued or tracked on installation or at annual inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the improper maintenance and inspection of the propeller system, which resulted in loose and improperly torqued bolts, causing the subsequent failure of a propeller blade.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LAKE CITY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32024
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LRQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 50
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 165
Weather Observation Facility ID GNV
Elevation of weather observation facility 152
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4700
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2139
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) 905
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N47306
NTSB Number MIA99LA195
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 Ryan
Aircraft Model ST3KR
Aircraft Series Identifier ST3KR
Aircraft Serial Number 1358
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 May 31 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2847
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARY V. SNODGRASS
Aircraft Owner Street Address POB 1268
Aircraft Owner City JENSEN BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34958
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 ABY
Departure City ALBANY
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GNV
Destination City GAINSVILLE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 28
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --