- Date
- August 26, 1995, 09:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Juneau, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2937XPiper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 18, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950826032239I
- Case key
- 2601
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Probable cause
failure and separation of the propeller blade due to foreign object damage and fatigue.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Just after takeoff the airplane began to vibrate. The pilot reduced the power and returned for an immediate landing. Examination showed that 6 inches of one blade had separated from the propeller. The separated piece was recovered, and metallurgical examination showed that the blade separated due to a fatigue crack emanating from a gouge associated with foreign object damage. The propeller blade material met the material and hardness specifications as prescribed by the manufacturer.
Factual narrative
On August 26, 1995, at 0945 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Piper PA-28-181 airplane, N2937X, registered to and operated by Skagway Air Service of Skagway, Alaska, experienced a severe vibration during climbout from the Juneau Airport, Juneau, Alaska. The airplane returned to the Juneau airport. The air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, departed Juneau and the destination was Gustavus, Alaska. A company visual flight rules flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airline transport certificated pilot and the two passengers were not injured and the airplane received minor damage.
According to the operator, approximately 6 inches of one propeller blade separated from the propeller. As a result of the vibration, the alternator broke away from the engine case resulting in a small engine compartment fire.
The separated propeller tip was recovered. The propeller tip and propeller were sent the NTSB's Materials Laboratory Division for examination. The examination revealed that the area of the fatigue origin was a wedge shaped cavity on the leading edge of the blade. The cavity was oriented approximately 35 degrees to the leading edge of the blade and extended below the surface about 0.03 inch. The total length of the cavity (on both separated pieces) was approximately 0.25 inch. The composition and hardness of the material from which the propeller was manufactured was checked and found to meet the manufacturer's specifications.
According to a McCauley Service Letter 1995-4, dated February 10, 1995, it states that stress riser damage caused by stones or other small objects striking the propeller blade as it is rotating is the only damage that needs to be repaired in the field.
During a telephone conversation with the pilot, she said she did not see any nicks or gouges in the leading edges of the blades during preflight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2937X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7990567
- Airframe hours
- 9,364
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Skagway Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 21, 1995 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- JNU · AK
- Destination
- GST · Gustavus, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,733 total · 150 in this make and model · 2,633 as pilot in command · 172 in the last 90 days · 91 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 99 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.