Mesquite Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesquite, Nevada 89027
Sunday, April 14, 2013 10:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The propeller departed the airplane during the initial climb following takeoff, and the pilot performed a forced landing into a rocky field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and firewall during the accident sequence; the pilot was not injured. The propeller and its associated hub mounting hardware were not recovered. The threaded portion of the crankshaft had been flattened by the propeller’s hub, indicating that the hub nut was in place but had backed off during the flight. The nut had backed off most likely because the incorrect torque had been applied during its reinstallation, about 40 flight hours before the accident flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Separation of the propeller from the engine during initial climb due to the incorrect torque applied to the propeller hub nut during maintenance.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/2013
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Mesquite
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89027
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365346N
Event Location Longitude 1140258W
Event Location Airport Mesquite
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 67L
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 5
Airport Elevation 1978
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 229
Weather Observation Facility ID KLAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2181
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 69
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.66
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KLAS 141556Z 07010KT 10SM SCT250 22/M04 A296
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32663
NTSB Notification Source FAA LAX ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 27 2014 7:04PM
User who most recently changed record sime1
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N87114
NTSB Number WPR13LA191
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ERCOUPE
Aircraft Model 415-C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 287
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
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 6 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42.2
Airframe Hours 1800
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name Charles L Rosenfeld
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SUNRIVER
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97707-0816
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Charles L Rosenfeld
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SUNRIVER
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 97707-0816
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 67L
Departure City Mesquite
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KELY
Destination City Ely
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 24 2014 6:19PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 01
Runway Length 5121
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --