What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was flying off the coast near ventura, CA at 3,500 ft MSL when the engine started vibrating. The pilot reduced power immediatly to idle and considered a cyclinder might have departed. The engine had been operating normal with no vibrations. At idle the engine continued to vibrate with no smoke or evidence of oil loss. The pilot decided to shut down the engine to stop the vibration. He pitched for best glide and contacted ATC for landing at oxr airport. The pilot decide to land on runway 7, on approach the windmilling propeller finally stoped turning and that is when the pilot saw that one propeller blade had broken off which had caused the vibration. The approach and landing were normal and the pilot was able to taxi off the runway and stop on the ramp with no issues or assistance.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS FLYING OFF THE COAST NEAR VENTURA, CA AT 3,500 FT MSL WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED VIBRATING. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER IMMEDIATLY TO IDLE AND CONSIDERED A CYCLINDER MIGHT HAVE DEPARTED. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OPERATING NORMAL WITH NO VIBRATIONS. AT IDLE THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO VIBRATE WITH NO SMOKE OR EVIDENCE OF OIL LOSS. THE PILOT DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE TO STOP THE VIBRATION. HE PITCHED FOR BEST GLIDE AND CONTACTED ATC FOR LANDING AT OXR AIRPORT. THE PILOT DECIDE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 7, ON APPROACH THE WINDMILLING PROPELLER FINALLY STOPED TURNING AND THAT IS WHEN THE PILOT SAW THAT ONE PROPELLER BLADE HAD BROKEN OFF WHICH HAD CAUSED THE VIBRATION. THE APPROACH AND LANDING WERE NORMAL AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO TAXI OFF THE RUNWAY AND STOP ON THE RAMP WITH NO ISSUES OR ASSISTANCE.
Other reports on N78MP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.