# Incident 20140616012169I: Wells Charlie WAIEX, Hannibal, NY, June 16, 2014

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 16, 2014, 08:50 local time
- Place: Hannibal, NY
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.3194° N, 76.5777° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Hannibal, NY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3194&lon=-76.5777&mi=10
- Aircraft: N32YX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N32YX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Wells Charlie WAIEX (registry code 05628K9, https://openairdocs.org/model/wells-charlie-waiex) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Aerovee 2.0 (registry code 01403, https://openairdocs.org/engine/aerovee-2-0) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WELLS CHARLIE WAIEX
- Reported engine: AEROVEE 2.0
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 406 total, 6 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140616012169I

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 16, 2014 AT 0840 HOURS, AN EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT, N32YX, SERIAL NUMBER 0099, SONEX WAIEX, EXPERIENCED A SEPARATION OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT AT THE PROPELLER HUB. THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE UNDERSIDE OF THE LEFT WING LEADING EDGE AS IT DEPARTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING A SMALL DENT TO THE SKIN. THE PILOT MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING IN A CORNFIELD WITH NO INJURIES. THE LOSS WAS EXPERIENCED WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT AND DURING VMC CONDITIONS. THE OWNER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IS A PRIVATE PILOT WITH 406 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME, 6 IN TYPE AND MODEL. THE OWNER STATED THE ENGINE VIBRATED IN FLIGHT TWICE BRIEFLY AND THE THIRD TIME THE VIBRATION WAS SUBSTANTIAL BEFORE THE SEPARATION. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS FOUND BROKEN AT THE BOTTOM OF A BLIND HOLE WHERE THE BOLT THREAD ENDS THAT HOLDS THE PROP HUB ON TO THE CRANK. THE SEPARATION APPEARED CIRCULAR IN PROGRESSION AROUND THE CRANKSHAFT STARTING AND ENDING AT THE SAME POINT AND TERMINATING WITH SHEAR LIPS. BEACH MARKS WERE OBSERVED.

ON JUNE 19 THE OWNER STATED HE FOUND THE PROPELLER. OPERATIONS INSPECTOR PAUL PRIOR AND MYSELF WENT TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOME AND FOUND APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES OF ONE BLADE TIP MISSING AND THE FIBERGLASS COVERING HAD RIPPED THE WOOD APPROXIMATELY 9 ADDITIONAL INCHES FROM A TIP TO HUB DIRECTION. THE FIBERGLASS COVERING SHOWED SIGNS OF DELAMINATION ON THE FACE OF THE BLADE THAT WAS MISSING THE TIP. THE OWNER STATED THAT THE DELAMINATION WAS THERE SINCE HE BOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT IN JANUARY, 2014 AND HE FLEW THE AIRCRAFT 4.5 HOURS WITH THE DELAMINATION PRESENT.

## Other reports on N32YX (1)

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

- [Incident 20210720011279I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210720011279I), Jul 20, 2021: Wells Charlie WAIEX (N32YX), Romeo, MI, Minor damage. While departing RWY36, the canopy came off the aircraft, aircraft lost altitude, pilot made a forced landing in a field one half mile north of the airport…

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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