Sarasota-Bradenton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sarasota, Florida 34243
Wednesday, August 2, 1989 13:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT CLIMB TO AN ALT OF ABOUT 500 TO 800 FT AGL AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RWY 32. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THEY HEARD A LOUD NOISE FM THE ACFT, THEN THEY NOTED THAT THE ENG SOUND HAD CEASED. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO MANEUVER AS IF THE PLT WAS TRYING TO RETURN TO THE RWY. THE PLT TRANSMITTED A 'MAYDAY' REPORT, STATING HE HAD 'LOST THE ENGINE.' WHILE TURNING BACK TO THE RWY, THE LEFT WING & NOSE OF THE ACFT DROPPED & THE PLANE ENTERED A LEFT DSCNDG TURN. IT IMPACTED THE GND IN A NR FLAT ATTITUDE WHILE IN A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT, THEN IT SLID INTO A TREE & BURNED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED 1 PROP BLADE HAD SEPD FM THE HUB DRG FLT. A METALLURGICAL EXAM SHOWED THE HUB HAD FAILED FM FATIGUE. DRG THE PREVIOUS 87 HRS OF OPN, THE ACFT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN TWO OCCURRENCES OF GEAR COLLAPSE, WHICH RESULTED IN PROP STRIKES WITH THE GND. ACCORDING TO RECORDS, THE HUB WAS INSPECTED & FOUND TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MANUFACTURER (MCCAULEY) & THE FAA. THE PLT'S PREVIOUS FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE/MODEL OF ACFT WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER HUB DUE TO PREVIOUS DAMAGE, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSEQUENT FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE HUB; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER HUB (AFTER THE PROPELLER STRIKES) WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SARASOTA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34243
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SARASOTA-BRADENTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SRQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 27
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1254 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID SRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 27
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1417
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39716
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24586
NTSB Number MIA89FA210
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A24R
Aircraft Series Identifier A24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC-131
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 18 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 48
Airframe Hours 1638
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES H. CROLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6502 78TH AVE. EAST
Aircraft Owner City PALMETTO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34982
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1346
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SUA
Destination City STUART
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 7003
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --