Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Unadilla, Georgia 31091
Saturday, October 20, 2007 10:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was flying the recently-acquired airplane on a cross-country flight. During the descent for landing, the engine shook violently followed by the wooden propeller blades separating at the hub. The pilot landed the airplane in a field, resulting in substantial damage. The previous owner had the propeller replaced with an older one prior to delivery of the airplane, stating that he did not want the new owner to "ding up the expensive new prop." Examination of the remaining hub and attachment bolt revealed evidence of fatigue failure due to excessive looseness of the attachment bolts. The mechanic who replaced the propeller did not adequately document its replacement. Reportedly, the propeller that failed had been in storage for 30 years, and showed evidence of gray staining deep into the wood, indicative of significant moisture penetration over an extended period of time.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper propeller installation by the mechanic.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/20/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1000 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Unadilla |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31091 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 955 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | WRB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 294 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 24 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| 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) | 24824 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 20 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2008 1:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Atlanta, GA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N780SR |
| NTSB Number | NYC08LA015 |
| 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 | Ryan |
| Aircraft Model | ST-3KR |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2007 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1860 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 5 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 3457 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Joseph Mark Ford |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 100 Troon Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Fayetteville |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30215 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Joseph Mark Ford |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 100 Troon Drive |
| Operator City | Fayetteville |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30215 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | 15J |
| Departure City | Adel |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 845 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PXE |
| Destination City | Perry |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2008 1:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| 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 | -- |