- Date
- July 4, 1992, 08:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Rutland, IA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N84JSJohn Schackel Q2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920704023599A
- Case key
- 15212
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
A fatigue failure of the engine crankshaft during cruise flight.
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
The accident airplane was in cruise flight when the pilot noted an engine vibration followed by an inflight separation of the propeller and spinner. The pilot declared an emergency and landed in a soybean field. During the landing roll the airplane nosed over in soft terrain. The propeller and spinner were recovered still attached to the front portion of the engine crankshaft. Examination of the crankshaft showed an area of wear at the keyslot where the propeller flange is fitted over the shaft. Examination of the inside walls of the propeller flange showed an 'area of concentrated fretting which left a distinct wear mark that matches the fracture surface of the failed crankshaft.' According to maintenance records the converted automotive engine had been in service since may 23, 1987 and had accumulated approximately 387 hours in service. The last annual inspection on the airplane was accomplished on may 21, 1992, approximately 3 flight hours before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84JS
- Reported as
- John Schackel Q2
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2329
- Airframe hours
- 387
- Engine
- Revmaster 2100, 64 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Schackel, John A
- Registered owner
- Schackel, John A
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 21, 1992 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- DOD · Fort Dodge, IA
- Destination
- EST · Estherville, IA
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 611 total · 387 in this make and model · 550 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FOD, 14 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.