# Accident 20020827021469A: Amtr TAILWINDW8, Albuquerque, NM, August 27, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 27, 2002, 09:40 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1472° N, 106.9078° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1472&lon=-106.9078&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3992A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3992A-2017-05-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Tomishin-Whittman Tailwind W-8 (registry code 97902JN, https://openairdocs.org/model/tomishin-whittman-tailwind-w-8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR TAILWINDW8
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW02LA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA242) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020827021469A

## Narrative

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

(.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.

## 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 FTW02LA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA242), Aug 27, 2002: Whittman Tailwind W-8 (N3992A), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.

## Other reports on N3992A (1)

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

- [Accident 19870904049859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870904049859A), Sep 4, 1987: Amtrwt TAILWINDW8 (N3992A), Painesville, OH, Substantial damage. Oil covered the windshield from a prop hub oil leak. Tried to land on side of runway, veered into plowed ground.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.