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19960406018719I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Amtrsx CASSUTT2 · Chino, CA · April 6, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 6, 1996 · 12:20 local
Place
Chino, CA
Airport
Chino Airport
Phase of flight
Engine Run-Up
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N4315
Reported as
Amtrsx CASSUTT2
Reported engine
Continental C858
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
250 total30 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days
N4315Registered now · Cassutt-Moore SS-2S/N SS-2 · Built 1968Airframe modelCassutt-Moore SS-2Engine modelContinental C85 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.

Narrative: Mr. Warner the pilot and owner of N4315 installed a new and more powerful three blade warpdrive propeller on his experimental cassutt-moore aircraft. According to N4315'S logbook the installation of the warpdrive propeller was approved by d. barber (dar, WP525001) in accordance with the requirements of FAR 21.191(g) on April 3, 1996. This office contacted Mr. Barber and found nothing out of order. On April 6, 1996, Mr. Warner was flying the aircraft for the first time since the installation. Prior to his third takeoff he ran his engine up to approximately 1800 RPM to do the magneto check with the aircraft pointed into the wind. When he reached for the magneto the tail of this tailwheel aircraft came up and the propeller struck the pavement destroying the propeller. Mr. Warner states that he is quite sure he did not release the back pressure on the aircraft's control stick thereby allowing the tail to come up. The aircraft is used for acrobatics and with the shoulder harness on, the pilot cannot lean forward, therefore, his stomach did not push the stick forward. Mr. Warner believes that the propeller wash of the more powerful propeller may have caused the tail of the aircraft to rise. Thereby causing the propeller to strike the pavement. However, earlier in the day he did run the engine up to 2200 RPM without any problems. There is 12 inches of clearance when the aircraft fuselage is parallel to the ground. Currently, Mr. Warner does his run-up at a maximum of 1500 RPM and he has had no further problems. privacy data omitted Mr. Warner is cognizant of tailwheel aircraft considerations. Lessons learned, no further action, closed.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: MR. WARNER THE PILOT AND OWNER OF N4315 INSTALLED A NEW AND MORE POWERFUL THREE BLADE WARPDRIVE PROPELLER ON HIS EXPERIMENTAL CASSUTT-MOORE AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO N4315'S LOGBOOK THE INSTALLATION OF THE WARPDRIVE PROPELLER WAS APPROVED BY D. BARBER (DAR, WP525001) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FAR 21.191(G) ON APRIL 3, 1996. THIS OFFICE CONTACTED MR. BARBER AND FOUND NOTHING OUT OF ORDER. ON APRIL 6, 1996, MR. WARNER WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE INSTALLATION. PRIOR TO HIS THIRD TAKEOFF HE RAN HIS ENGINE UP TO APPROXIMATELY 1800 RPM TO DO THE MAGNETO CHECK WITH THE AIRCRAFT POINTED INTO THE WIND. WHEN HE REACHED FOR THE MAGNETO THE TAIL OF THIS TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT CAME UP AND THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE PAVEMENT DESTROYING THE PROPELLER. MR. WARNER STATES THAT HE IS QUITE SURE HE DID NOT RELEASE THE BACK PRESSURE ON THE AIRCRAFT'S CONTROL STICK THEREBY ALLOWING THE TAIL TO COME UP. THE AIRCRAFT IS USED FOR ACROBATICS AND WITH THE SHOULDER HARNESS ON, THE PILOT CANNOT LEAN FORWARD, THEREFORE, HIS STOMACH DID NOT PUSH THE STICK FORWARD. MR. WARNER BELIEVES THAT THE PROPELLER WASH OF THE MORE POWERFUL PROPELLER MAY HAVE CAUSED THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO RISE. THEREBY CAUSING THE PROPELLER TO STRIKE THE PAVEMENT. HOWEVER, EARLIER IN THE DAY HE DID RUN THE ENGINE UP TO 2200 RPM WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THERE IS 12 INCHES OF CLEARANCE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE IS PARALLEL TO THE GROUND. CURRENTLY, MR. WARNER DOES HIS RUN-UP AT A MAXIMUM OF 1500 RPM AND HE HAS HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MR. WARNER IS COGNIZANT OF TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT CONSIDERATIONS. LESSONS LEARNED, NO FURTHER ACTION, CLOSED.