20030805018379I

Incident

FAA incident report · Boeing A75N1 · Smithville, TN · August 5, 2003

Date: August 5, 2003 · 19:00 local
Place: Smithville, TN
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N75359
Reported as: Boeing A75N1
Reported engine: Lycoming R68013
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total300 in this make and model27 in the last 90 days

N75359Registered now · Boeing A75N1(PT17)S/N 75-4978 Airframe modelBoeing A75N1(PT17)Engine modelLycoming R680Reciprocating

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) Aircraft was flying in a cruise configuration with one passenger. The aircraft developed a severe vibration, pilot immediately reduced power and tried to make private grass landing area. This attempt caused the aircraft to slow and power was re-applied;again vibration started immediately. This additional vibration caused the crankshaft to shear along the propeller flange area. Propeller and crankshaft flange was found in remote area not FAR from emergency landing area. Engine is being dismantled to further investigate failure. No discrepancies were noted in maintenance of aircraft, engine, or propeller systems.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING IN A CRUISE CONFIGURATION WITH ONE PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION, PILOT IMMEDIATELY REDUCED POWER AND TRIED TO MAKE PRIVATE GRASS LANDING AREA. THIS ATTEMPT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SLOW AND POWER WAS RE-APPLIED;AGAIN VIBRATION STARTED IMMEDIATELY. THIS ADDITIONAL VIBRATION CAUSED THE CRANKSHAFT TO SHEAR ALONG THE PROPELLER FLANGE AREA. PROPELLER AND CRANKSHAFT FLANGE WAS FOUND IN REMOTE AREA NOT FAR FROM EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. ENGINE IS BEING DISMANTLED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE FAILURE. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED IN MAINTENANCE OF AIRCRAFT, ENGINE, OR PROPELLER SYSTEMS.