Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37130
Thursday, March 29, 1990 20:55 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A DESCENT FOR LANDING AT 4500 FEET PART OF THE PROPELLER BLADE SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE PILOT WAS VECTORED TOWARD AN AIRPORT BUT HAD TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING SHORT. THE GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDED & THE ACFT SLID ONTO AN INTERSTATE HWY. IT HIT A PASSING VAN. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER BLADE FRACTURE WHICH REMAINED SHOWED THAT IT FAILED FROM FATIGUE WHICH INITIATED ON THE CAMBER SURFACE OF THE BLADE. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD BEEN OPERATING FROM AN AIRSTRIP WITH A STONE SURFACE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER BLADE WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED OFF-AIRPORT LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2055
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MURFREESBORO
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37130
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
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 2116 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 600
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3700
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1124
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2235
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42343
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7061V
NTSB Number ATL90LA088
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 22-1403
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WATTS, THOMAS E., JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 222 FOURTH AVE. N. BOX 3050
Aircraft Owner City NASHVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37219
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CARGILE, NEIL H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1201 S. FLAGLER DR. B-4
Operator City W. PALM BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33401
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PBI
Departure City WEST PALM BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BNA
Destination City NASHVILLE
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --