# Accident 20140418005579A: Oconnor Paul A ULTIMATE AERO 10-200, Swanton, VT, April 18, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 18, 2014, 12:12 local time
- Place: Swanton, VT
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.9461° N, 73.1136° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9461&lon=-73.1136&mi=10
- Aircraft: N827D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N827D-2020-05-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Oconnor Paul A ULTIMATE AERO 10-200 (registry code 05629MH, https://openairdocs.org/model/oconnor-paul-a-ultimate-aero-10-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (registry code 41832, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-c1c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: OCONNOR PAUL A ULTIMATE AERO 10-200
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-C1C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA202) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140418005579A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF SHORTLY AFTER 12PM FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY STATE AIRPORT, HIGHGATE, VT. WITH THE INTENT OF HEATING THE ENGINE SUFFICIENT FOR CHANGING THE OIL.  AT APPROXIMATELY 12:12PM AT 3000' MSL IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON AN APPROXIMATE NORTH WEST HEADING THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOUD BANG, A VIOLENT SHUDDER AND DAMAGE TO THE CANOPY.  THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND ASSUMED CATASTROPHIC STRUCTURAL OR PROPELLER FAILURE.  HE ATTEMPTED TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BUT QUICKLY REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT WAS UN-FLYABLE.   THE PILOT THEN EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT AND DEPLOYED HIS PARACHUTE AT AN ESTIMATED 1000?, LANDING IN A TREE 1 AND 1/2 MILES FROM AIRCRAFT IMPACT.  HE WAS RESCUED FROM THE TREE BY LOCAL FIRE DEPT AND REPORTED NO INJURIES.

THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT A STEEP VERTICAL ANGLE ON A WESTERLY HEADING ALONG THE SIDE OF INTERSTATE 89 100 YARDS NORTH OF MILE MARKER 125 IN SWANTON, VT.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED UPON IMPACT AND BURNED IN THE POST CRASH FIRE.  INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE REVEALED THE PROPELLER HUB ASSEMBLY MISSING ONE OF THE TWO PROPELLER BLADES ALONG WITH THE COLLAR DEVICE.  NTSB HAS REQUESTED THAT THE HUB ASSEMBLY BE SHIPPED TO THE NTSB LABORATORY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.  IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE WHIRLWIND PROPELLER IS NOT A CERTIFICATED PART AND DOES NOT MEET THE REPORTING CRITERIA FOR A MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT REPORT.

## 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 ERA14LA202](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA202), Apr 18, 2014: Oconnor Paul A Ultimate Aero 10-200 (N827D), Saint Albans, VT, destroyed. Probable cause: The propeller blade’s failure due to fatigue cracks that initiated from pitch change pin attachment holes that had been drilled too deep during manufacture.

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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