- Date
- January 18, 1995, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Boone, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N612WMatto KR-2A Modified
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950118000549A
- Case key
- 3518
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the propeller retaining bolts for an undetermined reason, which resulted in the separation of the propeller from the engine. The rising, mountainous terrain was a factor.
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
During cruise flight, about 5,500 feet MSL, the propeller separated from the engine. The pilot set up for a forced landing. The aircraft was landed on an open field, on rising mountainous terrain. The propeller was not located. Three bolts ends remained in the propeller flange, and all showed evidence of overload. The other three bolts were not located.
Factual narrative
On January 18, 1995, at 1515 eastern standard time, a Matto KR-2A Modified, N612W, collided with terrain during a forced landing near Boone, North Carolina. The private pilot was not injured, and the aircraft had substantial damage. The homebuilt, experimental aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local, personal flight. The flight originated in Mountain City, Tennessee at 1415.
The pilot reported that the aircraft was in cruise flight, about 5,500 feet mean sea level, when the propeller separated from the engine. The pilot prepared for a forced landing. The aircraft was force landed on an open field, on rising, mountainous terrain. Structural damage to the airframe resulted. The propeller was not located.
The propeller flange, located on the engine crankshaft, had six holes for attaching the propeller. The ends of three bolts remained in the flange holes, and the heads were missing. The other three bolts were not located. The fracture surfaces of the located bolt ends exhibited a bright, crystalline appearance.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N612W
- Reported as
- Matto KR-2A Modified (KR-2A MODI)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 233
- Engine
- Volkswagen 1835, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ives, Thomas E.
- Registered owner
- Ives, Thomas E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 1995 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- 6A4 · Mountain City, TN
- Destination
- 6A4 · TN
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 311 total · 2 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HKY, 30 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.