19951007049159A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr RV-4 · Longmont, CO · October 7, 1995

Date: October 7, 1995 · 12:50 local
Place: Longmont, CO
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N61TR
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW96FA009
Reported as: Amtr RV4
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N61TRRegistration cancelled Oct 29, 2014 · Rupe Thomas C RV-4S/N 1061 · Built 1988 Airframe modelRupe Thomas C RV-4 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-16) Witnesses reported seeing aircraft in level flight trailing smoke. A popping noise was heard and the aircraft went into a nosedown spin, impacting the ground. The aircraft burned after impact. Investigation revealed that 20" of one prop blade was missing due to an in-flight failure. It was detrmined to have lateral cracks prior to failure.

As the FAA filed it

(-16) WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING AIRCRAFT IN LEVEL FLIGHT TRAILING SMOKE. A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO A NOSEDOWN SPIN, IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT BURNED AFTER IMPACT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 20" OF ONE PROP BLADE WAS MISSING DUE TO AN IN-FLIGHT FAILURE. IT WAS DETRMINED TO HAVE LATERAL CRACKS PRIOR TO FAILURE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW96FA009Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportLongmont, COthe installation of an unapproved metal propeller which led to a fatigue failure of a blade and loss of aircraft control.Oct 7, 1995 · Destroyed