# Accident 20171105018279A: Riggs Kenneth W T-BIRD II, St. Marys, KS, November 5, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 5, 2017, 11:50 local time
- Place: St. Marys, KS
- Airport: Jmj Landing Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.1975° N, 96.0733° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1975&lon=-96.0733&mi=10
- Aircraft: N618ER, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N618ER-2018-12-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Riggs Kenneth W T-BIRD II (registry code 05612X7, https://openairdocs.org/model/riggs-kenneth-w-t-bird-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RIGGS KENNETH W T-BIRD II
- Reported engine: ROTAX 618
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,054 total, 3 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA027) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171105018279A

## Narrative

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

ON NOVEMBER 5, 2017, N618ER DEPARTED FROM A PRIVATE GRASS AIRFIELD IN ST. MARYS, KANSAS ON A PART 91 FLIGHT IN THE LOCAL AREA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE OBTAINED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND HAD A SELF-SHUTDOWN. THE PILOT MADE AN IMMEDIATE TURN BACK TO THE AIRFIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED LOSING ELEVATOR AUTHORITY AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FULLY ARREST THE DESCENT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE RUNWAY BEFORE MAKING A HARD LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE AND SERIOUS INJURY TO THE OCCUPANTS. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY SAW A PROPELLER BLADE AND STOCKING CAP DEPART THE AIRPLANE AT THE SAME TIME. THE STOCKING CAP WAS RECOVERED AND IT HAD STRIKE MARKS AND APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN INGESTED BY THE PROPELLER WHICH RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER.

AMMENDMENT FOLLOWS:

ON JANUARY 12, 2018, THE WICHITA FSDO RECEIVED THE POLICE REPORT FILED BY THE OFFICERS THAT RESPONDED TO THIS ACCIDENT. THE ABOVE NARRITIVE DOES NOT CHANGE. ALL INFORMATION RECEIVED WAS SUPPLEMENTAL.

## 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 CEN18LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA027), Nov 5, 2017: Riggs Kenneth W T Bird II (N618ER), St Mary's, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to a propeller failure when the passenger’s hat exited the cockpit and impacted the three-bladed pusher propeller, separating one of the propeller blades.

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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