What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft had 97 hours on airframe, owner removed fixed pitch propeller and installed a non-certificated aerotek variable pitch propeller, model #RB2000 for performance purposes. Propeller installation was iaw manufacturer's installation procedures with a vibration analysis using chadwick 2000 balancing equipment. First flight included a thorough engine runup and mag check, setting the engine at full throttle and the propeller RPM at the recommended setting and verification of the aircraft tach accurance by using a litton propeller strobe. Takeoff accelerated to 70 mph and rotation monitoring the instruments, after reaching an altitude of 500 ft. AGL pilot noted 2700 RPM and advancing, adjusted the propeller control to reduce the RPM, retarded the throttle slightly and pulled the nose up slightly to assist the control of the engine RPM (he stated max RPM is 2800). Almost simultaneously the pilot heard an unusual noise, felt a very minor vibration and realized that he was no longer getting any forward thrust from the engine/propeller. The pilot shut down the engine, advising the tower that he was going down in the wash and flew the aircraft to a safe landing. After landin g he called the tower advising them that he was not hurt. Inspection of the aircraft revealed no airframe damage, the spinner and both propeller blades missing and the propeller hub still attached.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT HAD 97 HOURS ON AIRFRAME, OWNER REMOVED FIXED PITCH PROPELLER AND INSTALLED A NON-CERTIFICATED AEROTEK VARIABLE PITCH PROPELLER, MODEL #RB2000 FOR PERFORMANCE PURPOSES. PROPELLER INSTALLATION WAS IAW MANUFACTURER'S INSTALLATION PROCEDURES WITH A VIBRATION ANALYSIS USING CHADWICK 2000 BALANCING EQUIPMENT. FIRST FLIGHT INCLUDED A THOROUGH ENGINE RUNUP AND MAG CHECK, SETTING THE ENGINE AT FULL THROTTLE AND THE PROPELLER RPM AT THE RECOMMENDED SETTING AND VERIFICATION OF THE AIRCRAFT TACH ACCURANCE BY USING A LITTON PROPELLER STROBE. TAKEOFF ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH AND ROTATION MONITORING THE INSTRUMENTS, AFTER REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 500 FT. AGL PILOT NOTED 2700 RPM AND ADVANCING, ADJUSTED THE PROPELLER CONTROL TO REDUCE THE RPM, RETARDED THE THROTTLE SLIGHTLY AND PULLED THE NOSE UP SLIGHTLY TO ASSIST THE CONTROL OF THE ENGINE RPM (HE STATED MAX RPM IS 2800). ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY THE PILOT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE, FELT A VERY MINOR VIBRATION AND REALIZED THAT HE WAS NO LONGER GETTING ANY FORWARD THRUST FROM THE ENGINE/PROPELLER. THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, ADVISING THE TOWER THAT HE WAS GOING DOWN IN THE WASH AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT TO A SAFE LANDING. AFTER LANDIN G HE CALLED THE TOWER ADVISING THEM THAT HE WAS NOT HURT. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO AIRFRAME DAMAGE, THE SPINNER AND BOTH PROPELLER BLADES MISSING AND THE PROPELLER HUB STILL ATTACHED.
Other reports on N601SP · 1
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