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19980222001669A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr Kitfox · Staunton-Waynes, VA · February 22, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 22, 1998 · 16:00 local
Place
Staunton-Waynes, VA
Airport
Shenandoah Valley Regional
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N955F
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC98LA068
Reported as
Amtr Kitfox
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
190 total110 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

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.

Lost prop RPM at cruise. Engine ran normal. Landed short of shd. Nosed over. Prop dirve belt lost all teeth. (.4) the pilot reported that a few minutes after departure, he smelled `hot rubber' and started to return to the airport. After the turn, the drive belt between the engine and propeller failed. When the pilot realized that the airplane could not reach the runway, he elected to perform a forced landing in a field. Upon touchdown, the nose wheel dug in the soft terrain and the airplane nosed over. The investigation revealed the builder/pilot has used a 4 inch wide cog belt between the engine and propeller. The cogs were worn off and would not rotate the propeller. The belt manufacturer recommended that cog belts not be used in aviation applications. (-23) prop lost RPM in cruise, but engine maintained RPM. Pilot set up glide to nearest airport, but came up to 1/4 mile short. Touched down in plowed field and flipped inverted. No injuries to pilot or passenger.

As the FAA filed it

LOST PROP RPM AT CRUISE. ENGINE RAN NORMAL. LANDED SHORT OF SHD. NOSED OVER. PROP DIRVE BELT LOST ALL TEETH. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A FEW MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, HE SMELLED `HOT RUBBER' AND STARTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER THE TURN, THE DRIVE BELT BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER FAILED. WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT REACH THE RUNWAY, HE ELECTED TO PERFORM A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE WHEEL DUG IN THE SOFT TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BUILDER/PILOT HAS USED A 4 INCH WIDE COG BELT BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER. THE COGS WERE WORN OFF AND WOULD NOT ROTATE THE PROPELLER. THE BELT MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THAT COG BELTS NOT BE USED IN AVIATION APPLICATIONS. (-23) PROP LOST RPM IN CRUISE, BUT ENGINE MAINTAINED RPM. PILOT SET UP GLIDE TO NEAREST AIRPORT, BUT CAME UP TO 1/4 MILE SHORT. TOUCHED DOWN IN PLOWED FIELD AND FLIPPED INVERTED. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGER.

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 NYC98LA068Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWeyers Cave, VAThe failure of the propeller drive train after the pilot/builder installed an improper drive belt.Feb 22, 1998 · Substantial damage