Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Saturday, May 26, 1990 9:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE MANEUVERING, HE FELT A SEVERE VIBRATION. HE DUMPED THE CHEMICAL & DURING THE FORCED LANDING, COLLIDED WITH TREES BEFORE COMING TO REST. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE NO. 2 PROP BLADE COUNTERWEIGHT BEARING SHAFT FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. ACCORDING TO THE METALLURGIST, THE FATIGUE WAS DUE TO BENDING STRESS WHICH WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE SHAFT & THE BUSHED HOLE IT WAS POSITIONED IN. THIS ALLOWED CENTRIFUGAL FORCE TO POSITION THE BLADE TO HIGH PITCH, RESULTING IN UNEQUAL THRUST. THE PROP WAS OVERHAULED IN 1987 BUT THE TOTAL TIME SINCE THAT TIME COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE PROP WAS REPAIRED ABOUT 10 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT BUT HAD ONLY ACCUMULATED 3.4 HRS SINCE THE REPAIR. ACCORDING TO THE PROP OVERHAUL FACILITY GENERAL MGR, THE PROP WAS RETURNED TO THE OPERATOR AFTER THE ACCIDENT BUT THE APPROVED FOR SERVICE LINE ON THE WORK ORDER WAS NOT SIGNED. ACCORDING TO THE CHIEF INSPECTOR OF THE REPAIR FACILITY, FURTHER INSP WAS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE IF THE PROP WAS AIRWORTHY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE WITH AN UNAIRWORTHY PROPELLER BY THE OPERATOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VERO BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32960
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 25
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 528
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1035
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41490
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40145
NTSB Number MIA90LA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Ayres
Aircraft Model S2R-600
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R-600
Aircraft Serial Number 2558R
Certified Max Gross Weight 6200
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 11 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 4006
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUNNILAND AIRCRAFT SALES, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 144 S FAIRFIELD DR.
Aircraft Owner City DOVER
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUNNILAND AIRCRAFT SALES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 267
Operator City INDIANTOWN
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 34956
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 923
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 Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --