Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Farmington, Pennsylvania 15437
Sunday, September 2, 2001 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the decent from cruise altitude, the pilot heard a loud bang, and the airplane began to shutter violently. The pilot shut down the engine and slowed the airplane to stop the propeller from windmilling. A forced landing was then made to an up-sloping field. After the airplane touched down in the field, it encountered 1-foot high windrows, collapsing the main landing gear. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that about 22 inches of one of the wooden propeller blades was missing. The inspector observed that the remaining portions of the propeller were painted with black paint, and that the wood was dry and brittle. Dark spots were also visible in the areas of the separation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The in-flight separation of a propeller blade, which resulted in a forced landing to unsuitable terrain. A factor related to the accident was the plowed field.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/2001
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Farmington
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15437
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 9
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID LBE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1185
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13204
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Sep 4 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 18 2003 4:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FSDO-03, Allegheny, PA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9403
NTSB Number NYC01LA221
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-94 Moth Minor
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 9403
Certified Max Gross Weight 1550
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 25 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 690
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Bannockburn Corp.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 31 Oak Leaf Lane
Aircraft Owner City Plano
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60545
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 DPA
Departure City Chicago
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2G3
Destination City Connellsville
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2002 1:53PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --