Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Geneva, Ohio 44041
Thursday, April 3, 2008 16:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The amateur-built airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing during landing approach. The pilot reported that as he circled the airport, the engine speed went to 6,000 RPM. He stated that he pulled the power back, lowered the landing gear and increased the propeller pitch. He said that the airplane began to stall and he could not maintain altitude. He executed a forced landing to a wetland. The right wing struck the water and broke off spinning the airplane around. Subsequent examination of the controllable pitch propeller revealed that a jack screw pin had sheared allowing the prop to go to a fine pitch setting. One of the blade pitch stops also broke resulting in the blade moving into a reverse pitch position.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the propeller pitch control mechanism during approach. Contributing to the accident were the inability of the pilot to maintain airspeed and altitude, and the unsuitable terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Geneva
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44041
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414640N
Event Location Longitude 0805414W
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
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 23723
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2008 11:48AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Cleveland, Ohio

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N614TB
NTSB Number CHI08CA103
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Koleno
Aircraft Model Titan T-51
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number M05XXXSOHK0087
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 25
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William T. Koleno
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Geneva
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HZY
Departure City Ashtabula
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 7D9
Destination City Gevena
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2008 5:12PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --