- Date
- October 2, 2003, 11:09 local (16:09 UTC)
- Place
- Floresville, TX
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N301SXBratton Experimental Homebuilt Swearingen SX300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20031002023289A
- Case key
- 58077
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 separation of one propeller blade while in cruise flight. A factor contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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 pilot of an experimental homebuilt single-engine airplane impacted the ground during a forced landing following a loss of engine power due to separation of a propeller blade. The shank connecting the composite propeller to the hub was broken, and one of the three blades was missing from the hub.
Factual narrative
On October 2, 2003, about 1109 central daylight time, a Bratton Swearingen SX300 experimental homebuilt single-engine airplane, N301SX, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground during a forced landing to an open field following a loss of engine power near Floresville, Texas. The commercial pilot, who was the owner and operator of the airplane, and the passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane departed the Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP) near Corpus Christi, Texas. The flight's intended destination was the Gillespie County Airport (T82), near Fredericksburg, Texas.
The 4,000-hour pilot, who was the owner and builder of the airplane, reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector that the aircraft was powered by a 300-horsepower Lycoming IO-540 engine, which was driving a 3 bladed composite propeller.
According to information provided by the FAA inspector who responded to the accident site, one of the propeller blades came off while in cruise flight, and the pilot was able to shut the engine down.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the shank connecting the composite propeller to the hub was broken, and one of the three blades was missing from the hub.
The pilot/operator failed to provide the Safety Board with a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB 6120.1/2) form.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N301SX
- Reported as
- Bratton Experimental Homebuilt Swearingen SX300
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Marquis P. Bratton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- CRP · Corpus Christi, TX
- Destination
- T82 · Fredericksburg, TX
- Airport
- 8TAO · John B Connally Ranch Airport
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
- 79
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.