20030307013949A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bbavia 7AC · Gordo, AL · March 7, 2003

Date: March 7, 2003 · 18:30 local
Place: Gordo, AL
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1648E
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL03LA059
Reported as: Bbavia 7AC
Reported engine: Continental A658
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total450 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N1648ERegistered now · Aeronca 7ACS/N 7AC-5213 · Built 1946 Airframe modelAeronca 7AC Engine modelContinental A&C65 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) The airplane departed the tuscaloosa al airport with the pilot and one passenger. The propeller departed the airplane during cruise flight. The crankshaft separated between the engine outside casing and the propeller flange. A forced landing was made and no injuries were suffered. The airplane was substantially damaged. (-23 amendment) the NTSB lab verbally reports that metal fatigue of the crankshaft was evident. The Continental engine model A65-8 serial number is 2042528. The crankshaft serial number is S100939-1. The propeller and the crankshaft flange that departed the aircraft were never found.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE TUSCALOOSA AL AIRPORT WITH THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. THE PROPELLER DEPARTED THE AIRPLANE DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE CRANKSHAFT SEPARATED BETWEEN THE ENGINE OUTSIDE CASING AND THE PROPELLER FLANGE. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE AND NO INJURIES WERE SUFFERED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. (-23 AMENDMENT) THE NTSB LAB VERBALLY REPORTS THAT METAL FATIGUE OF THE CRANKSHAFT WAS EVIDENT. THE CONTINENTAL ENGINE MODEL A65-8 SERIAL NUMBER IS 2042528. THE CRANKSHAFT SERIAL NUMBER IS S100939-1. THE PROPELLER AND THE CRANKSHAFT FLANGE THAT DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT WERE NEVER FOUND.

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 ATL03LA059Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGordo, ALFatigue failure of the crankshaft.Mar 7, 2003 · Substantial damage