Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39520
Sunday, November 16, 1986 12:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ON THE INITIAL TEST FLT, SEVERE VIBRATION WAS FELT AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN THE FLOAT EQUIPPED ACFT TO THE WATER FOR A FORCED LDG. DUE TO LOW ALT, THE PLT HAD TO LAND IN TREES. AN EXAM OF ONE OF THE BLADES OF THE 3 BLADED COMPOSITE PROP REVEALED IT HAD SEPARATED CREATING A VIBRATION SO SEVERE THAT IT SHOOK BOTH CARBURETORS FROM THE ENGINE CAUSING THE ENG FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/16/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BAY ST. LOUIS
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39520
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
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 1147 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID GPT
Elevation of weather observation facility 28
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 600
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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) 1649
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 16 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32075
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9731N
NTSB Number MIA87LA033
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 HICKHAM
Aircraft Model TWINSTAR
Aircraft Series Identifier TWINSTAR
Aircraft Serial Number 4
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN H. HICKHAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5037 VETERANS BLVD
Aircraft Owner City METAIRIE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70001
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --