# Accident 20000725005209A: Cessna 421A, Homewood, MS, July 25, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 25, 2000, 14:50 local time
- Place: Homewood, MS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.3501° N, 89.4692° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3501&lon=-89.4692&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1477D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1477D-2014-11-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 421A (registry code 2076012, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental GTSIO-520-C (registry code 17035, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-gtsio-520-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 421A
- Reported engine: CONT GTSIO520D
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,137 total, 30 in this make and model, 231 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA225](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA225) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000725005209A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WHILE ENROUTE FROM DESTIN, FLORIDA TO TULSA, OKLAHOMA, AT 12K FEET, 30 MILES SE OF JACKSON, MS., THE AIRCRAFT HAD A SLIGHT VIBRATION THEN THE RIGHT PROPELLER SEPARATED FRON THE ENGINE. AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED AND THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFETY AT JACKSON. MS. INTERNATIONAL (JAN).  THERE WERE SIX SOULS ON BOARD WITH NO INJURIES.                                         (.4) DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, A SLIGHT VIBRATION WAS FELT AND THE RIGHT PROPELLER COMPLETELY SEPARATED CONTACTING THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE FLIGHT DIVERTED AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE RIGHT ENGINE NO. 3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD FAILED; EVIDENCE OF EXPOSURE TO ELEVATED TEMPERATURES AND HIGHER STRESS FATIGUE CRACK PROPAGATION WAS NOTED. EXTENSIVE FRETTING NOTED ON THE FAYING SURFACES OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER GEAR AND HUB, AND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PROPELLER BULKHEAD AND FILLET ASSEMBLY. THE HOLES IN THE PROPELLER BULKHEAD ASSEMBLY AND PROPELLER GEAR WERE ELONGATED/EGGSHAPED. FATIGUE NOTED ON ALL EIGHT STUDS; WEAR NOTED ON THE SHANKS OF SEVEN STUDS; THE EIGHTH STUD WAS NOT EXAMINED. FOUR OF THE RECOVERED SEVEN SPACERS WERE DAMAGED SHORTENING THEIR LENGTH. ONLY TWO OF THE EIGHT FRACTURED STUDS WERE EXTENDED THE S PECIFIED MINIMUM DISTANCE BEYOND THE NUT. NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE THREADS IN THE HUB HOLES OF THE LEFT PROPELLER, OR TO THE THREADS IN THE HUB HOLES OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER THAT WERE CHECKED. OVERSTRESS FAILURE NOTED ON THE FRACTURED PROPELLER BLADE FROM THE RIGHT PROPELLER. THE MECHANIC WHO INSTALLED THE RIGHT PROPELLER USED UN-CALIBRATED TORQUE WRENCHES AND AN OUTDATED SERVICE MANUAL. THE AIRPLANE HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 50 HOURS SINCE INSTALLATION OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER.

## 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 MIA00LA225](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA225), Jul 25, 2000: Cessna 421A (N1477D), Homewood, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadequate installation of the right propeller by the mechanic for his failure to properly torque the eight nuts resulting in fatigue failure of the studs and separation of the right propeller…

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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