- Date
- April 5, 1982, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Baconton, GA
- Injuries
- 3 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N123CBPiper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820405008199A
- Case key
- 69865
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
As the pilot was descending from 7000 to 5000 ft, he heard a loud bang, followed by a temporary vibration and a violent swerve to the right. He looked out the right window and thought the right engine had fallen off since all he could see was the tops of the engine mounts. The aircraft was controllable only after reducing the left engine power to idle. During a wheels up/forced landing, the plane tore through a fence, slid across a paved road, went over an embankment and began burning after it came to rest. The pilot received a back injury and had difficulty egressing. An investigation revealed the propeller hub had failed from fatigue which resulted in blade separation and subsequent engine tearaway. The engine had remained attached to the airframe by cables. Metallurgical examination of the hub revealed that the fatigue originated at a threaded grease fitting. Gouging was visible on the inner wall. A set of incorrect counterweights were found on the propeller. The counterweight's function was to reduce vibration.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N123CB
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7752161
- Airframe hours
- 1,611
- Engine
- Lycoming 540-J2BD, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Operator
- Aircraft Service Center
- Registered owner
- Excelsior Leasing Corporation
- Departed
- Austin, TX
- Destination
- Tifton, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 5,344 total · 113 in this make and model · 5,177 as pilot in command · 146 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft broken
- Temperature
- 131 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABY, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.