Ocala International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ocala, Florida 34478
Saturday, June 14, 2008 12:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the private pilot, who was on a personal cross-country flight, he was about 6-10 feet above the landing runway when the left engine's propeller feathered. He said that the airplane dropped hard onto the runway, collapsing the nose landing gear and driving it through the top of the fuselage. The pilot reported that during the past several months the left propeller would feather uncommanded when taxiing from landing. He said that on the advice of his mechanic he had the propeller overhauled, and then replaced the engine--neither of which fixed the problem. The pilot, in consultation with his mechanic, determined that the propeller would probably not feather in flight. The pilot said that he planned to land with extra power during the accident flight, but found himself high and long on final approach, and when he reduced engine rpm to idle, about 6-10 feet above the runway, the left propeller feathered.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued operation of the airplane with a known mechanical deficiency--a propeller that would feather at low power. Contributing to the accident was the uncommanded feathering of the propeller.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Ocala
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34478
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 291013N
Event Location Longitude 0821316W
Event Location Airport Ocala International Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KOCF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 89
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1215 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KOCF
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25073
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Miami
NTSB Notification Date Jun 17 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2009 5:55PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Jacksonville, FL FSDO-15

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11HR
NTSB Number ANC08LA060
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-34
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7970232
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1567
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Louis Farbre
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Houston
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77005
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 USA
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 --
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 KAXH
Departure City Houston
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KOCF
Destination City Ocala
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2009 5:55PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 6907
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --