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20020827021469A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr TAILWINDW8 · Albuquerque, NM · August 27, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 27, 2002 · 09:40 local
Place
Albuquerque, NM
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3992A
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW02LA242
Reported as
Amtr TAILWINDW8
N3992ARegistration cancelled May 23, 2017 · Tomishin-Whittman Tailwind W-8S/N 37 · Built 1964Airframe modelTomishin-Whittman Tailwind W-8Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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.

(.19) On August 27, 2002, at 0940 mountain daylight time, a whittman tailwind experimental homebuilt single-engine airplane, N3992A, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of a propeller blade in cruise flight near Albuquerque, new Mexico. The airplane is owned and operated by a private individual. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 maintenance test flight. The local flight originated from the double eagle ii airport, Albuquerque, at 0920. Preliminary information indicates that the flight was being conducted to evaluate a ground adjustable propeller that had just been installed. During the flight, the engine developed a severe vibration, and the pilot shut it down. After the propeller stopped rotating, the pilot observed one of the propeller blades was missing, and the pilot initiated a forced landing to a field 5.5 nautical miles west of the double eagle ii airport. During the landing, the airplane "flipped over." Examination of the airplane, by the FAA inspector, revealed that the nose, rudder, vertical stabilizer, right elevator, and both wings were damaged. (-23) the flight was being conducted to evaluate a ground adjustable propeller that had just been installed. During this flight the engine developed a severe vibration. The engine was shutdown. After the engine/propeller ceased to rotate, Mr. Rice, the pilot, observed that one of the propeller blades was missing. Emergency landing was made approximately 5.5 miles west of aeg. No injuries were reported. The aircraft received substantial damage.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON AUGUST 27, 2002, AT 0940 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHITTMAN TAILWIND EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N3992A, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF A PROPELLER BLADE IN CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO. THE AIRPLANE IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE DOUBLE EAGLE II AIRPORT, ALBUQUERQUE, AT 0920. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION INDICATES THAT THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE A GROUND ADJUSTABLE PROPELLER THAT HAD JUST BEEN INSTALLED. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION, AND THE PILOT SHUT IT DOWN. AFTER THE PROPELLER STOPPED ROTATING, THE PILOT OBSERVED ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES WAS MISSING, AND THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD 5.5 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF THE DOUBLE EAGLE II AIRPORT. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE "FLIPPED OVER." EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, BY THE FAA INSPECTOR, REVEALED THAT THE NOSE, RUDDER, VERTICAL STABILIZER, RIGHT ELEVATOR, AND BOTH WINGS WERE DAMAGED. (-23) THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE A GROUND ADJUSTABLE PROPELLER THAT HAD JUST BEEN INSTALLED. DURING THIS FLIGHT THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION. THE ENGINE WAS SHUTDOWN. AFTER THE ENGINE/PROPELLER CEASED TO ROTATE, MR. RICE, THE PILOT, OBSERVED THAT ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES WAS MISSING. EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE APPROXIMATELY 5.5 MILES WEST OF AEG. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

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 FTW02LA242Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAlbuquerque, NMThe structural failure and separation of a propeller blade for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain available to the pilot to execute a forced landing.Aug 27, 2002 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3992A · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19870904049859AForced Landing · Painesville, OHOil covered the windshield from a prop hub oil leak. Tried to land on side of runway, veered into plowed ground.Sep 4, 1987 · Substantial damage