# Accident 19990225001739A: Mooney M20J, Kissimmee, FL, February 25, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 25, 1999, 10:08 local time
- Place: Kissimmee, FL
- Airport: Kissimmee Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.2410° N, 81.2793° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.2410&lon=-81.2793&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4671H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4671H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mooney M20J (registry code 5870219, https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MOONEY M20J
- Reported engine: LYC IO360A3B6
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,500 total, 350 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA091) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990225001739A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT LOST A PROPELLER IN FLIGHT AND CRASH-LANDED IN A FIELD, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   (.4)WHILE DESCENDING, THE PILOT NOTED A SLIGHT VIBRATION WHEN THE THROTTLE ONLY WAS REDUCED. HE THEN FELT A JOLT AND THE WINDSCREEN BECAME COVERED WITH OIL.  HE REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, INITIATED A DESCENT FOR A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, AND WHILE DESCENDING, THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A TREE.  THE AIRPLANE THEN TOUCHED DOWN GEAR UP IN THE FIELD, BOUNCED, AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT.  POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE NO. 1 PROPELLER BLADE WAS FRACTURED WITH ONLY A SEGMENT OF THAT BLADE INSIDE THE PROPELLER HUB.  THE NO. 2 PROPELLER BLADE OUTER BEARING RACE WAS CRACKED, AND FRETTING WAS NOTED ON THE FACE OF THE PROPELLER HUB.  METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURED PROPELLER BLADE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE WITH NO EVIDENCE OF CORROSION OR MECHANICAL DAMAGE.  THE NO. 2 PROPELLER BLADE OUTER BEARING RACE WAS CRACKED DUE TO OVERSTREES.  EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER HUB REVEALED SEVERE FRETTING INBOARD OF THE ATTACH BOLTS AND EVIDENCE OF GOUGING ON THE PILOT BORE.  REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER WAS LAST INSTALLED JULY 15, 1997; AND HAD ACCUMULATED 150.81 HOURS SINCE LAST INSTALLATION AT THE TIME OF THE PROPELLER BLADE FRACTURE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA99LA091](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA091), Feb 25, 1999: Mooney M20J (N4671H), St. Cloud, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The improper installation of the propeller by maintenance personnel resulting in fretting of the face of the propeller hub and fatigue failure of the No. 1 propeller blade. Also, the unsuitable…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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