Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carrabelle, Florida 32322
Sunday, January 14, 2007 18:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During cruise flight an 18-inch section of one propeller blade separated as a result of a non-detected fatigue crack. The pilot flew towards the nearest airport based on his on-board GPS, but the beacon and runway lights were out of service. By the time he visually spotted the airport and flew towards the approach end of the runway, he had insufficient altitude to reach it. He landed in the tops of trees approximately 100 yards short of the runway, and exited the airplane. Postaccident examination of the propeller revealed blisters (consistent with the onset of corrosion) near the fatigue origin point. The propeller was last inspected 3 months 1 day earlier; the airplane had been operated for 31.57 hours at the time of the failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of maintenance personnel to detect corrosion and a fatigue crack during the last annual inspection.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/14/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Carrabelle
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32322
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 295009N
Event Location Longitude 0844249W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1756 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KAAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23483
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Jan 14 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 30 2008 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Tampa, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29888
NTSB Number MIA07LA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17701015
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31.57
Airframe Hours 3821.63
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Sunburst Aviation, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4150 112th Terrace North Ste B
Aircraft Owner City Clearwater
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34622
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 KPNS
Departure City Pensacola
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KCLW
Destination City Clearwater
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency descent/landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2008 2:06PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --