Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Woodward, Oklahoma 73801
Wednesday, September 29, 1999 14:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During cruise flight, the airplane developed an 'extreme' vibration. During the ensuing precautionary landing to a dirt road, the aircraft encountered soft dirt and veered to the right, impacting a ditch. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that one of the blades of the wooden propeller was missing its metal tip.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The in-flight separation of the tip of a wood propeller blade. Contributing factors were the soft terrain and ditch encountered during the precautionary landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WOODWARD
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73801
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 1412
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 9:38AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N68591
NTSB Number FTW99LA271
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 Stinson
Aircraft Model L-5
Aircraft Series Identifier L-5
Aircraft Serial Number 42-98667
Certified Max Gross Weight 2250
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 15 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 3190
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMER AIR POWER HERITAGE FLY MU
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 62000
Aircraft Owner City MIDLAND
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79711
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEPHEN A. ZOELLE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4118 CLOVER AVENUE
Operator City VADNAIS HEIGHTS
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55127
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 HUT
Departure City HUTCHINSON
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1305
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MAF
Destination City MIDLAND
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 11:29AM
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 --