Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moriarity, New Mexico 87035
Wednesday, June 21, 1989 17:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG FLT, THE PROP BEGAN TO WOBBLE & SHOOK THE ACFT VIOLENTLY. HE TURNED THE ACFT AWAY FROM MTNS TO FIND A SUITABLE AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. HOWEVER, AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 400' AGL, THE PROP SEPD & THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND ON DESERT TERRAIN. DRG THE LANDING, THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PROP HAD BEEN MOUNTED ON THE ENG WITH AN EXTENSION, BUT THE EXTENSION DID NOT HAVE A MEANS TO PRECISELY CENTER THE PROP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PROP BEGAN A SEVERE VIBRATION, THE PROP MOUNTING BOLTS FAILED & THE PROP SEPD FROM THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE PROPELLER WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERE VIBRATION AND FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER MOUNTING BOLTS, & THE SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ROUGH/UNEVEN DESERT TERRAIN CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/21/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MORIARITY
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87035
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
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 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) 38
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) 421
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 21 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38922
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N544BM
NTSB Number DEN89LA144
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 BEAUCHESNE/WELLS
Aircraft Model GLASAIR TD
Aircraft Series Identifier GLASAIR TD
Aircraft Serial Number 544
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Feb 7 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 64
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MOYLE, BENNETT I.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5788 LINCOLN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City EDINA
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55436
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 TCC
Departure City TUCUMCARI
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ABQ
Destination City ALBUQUERQUE
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --