Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Firstair Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Monroe, Washington 98272
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 19:15 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot, who was also the builder of the experimental pusher-configured airplane, stated that he made a normal departure from his base airport. As the airplane reached about 250 feet above ground level (agl) he transitioned from the best-angle of climb configuration to the best-rate of climb configuration. The airplane emitted a loud "bang" behind the pilot and the engine subsequently experienced a total loss of power. He established a shallow turn back toward the airport and landed in a field just south and adjacent to the runway. The airplane touched down in soft, wet grass and the right main landing gear collapsed. The fuselage was substantially damaged.
After egressing the airplane, the pilot noted that the propeller had separated from the airplane. Upon closer examination, he discovered that the metal bracket he had constructed to support the propeller as part of the speed reduction system had fractured. He estimated that the bracket had amassed about 10 hours of flight time on it.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate construction of the propeller bracket, which resulted in its failure during the initial climb and the propeller subsequently departing the airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/12/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1915 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Monroe |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98272 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 475216N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1215942W |
| Event Location Airport | FIRSTAIR FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | W16 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 147 |
| Airport Elevation | 50 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| 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) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| 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) | 32731 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 20 2014 2:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N345MN |
| NTSB Number | WPR14CA136 |
| 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 | NORMAN |
| Aircraft Model | QUAD CITY CHALLENGER |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | II |
| Aircraft Serial Number | CH2 1191 CWIDIO |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 9 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Norman Monroe |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | DUVALL |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 980191423 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Norman Monroe |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | DUVALL |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 980191423 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | W16 |
| Departure City | Monroe |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1800 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | W16 |
| Destination City | Monroe |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 20 2014 2:14PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 25 |
| Runway Length | 2087 |
| Runway Width | 34 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |