# NTSB FTW04LA013: Prill RV-6, N3XS, Snyder, TX, October 17, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 17, 2003, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Snyder, TX - Coordinates: 32.693332, -100.950279 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6933&lon=-100.9503&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58204 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW04LA013 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58204/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04LA013 ## Probable cause The failure of the propeller blade for undetermined reason. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Propeller failure/malfunction, descent - torquemeter system,shaft type - failure (cause) - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - none suitable ## Analysis The 727-hour private pilot reported that the engine developed a "severe" vibration when the airplane was at about 5,000 feet agl, approximately 15 miles east from the airport. The pilot pulled the throttle back to try to stop the vibration, then pulled the mixture, and pulled the nose up to stop the propeller. He located a pasture to land in; however, he did not see the terraces cut in the pasture that he hit when he landed. He hit the first one and went airborne again, hitting a second one ripping the nose gear back and landing on the nose of the airplane. A tip of one propeller blade was missing and that could not be found. ## Factual narrative On October 17, 2003, approximately 1200 central daylight time, a Prill RV-6 single-engine experimental airplane, N3XS, registered to and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a severe vibration while descending near Snyder, Texas. The private pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed from the Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW), near Fort Worth, Texas, at 0800, with the Las Cruces International Airport (LRU), near Las Cruces, New Mexico, as their destination. The 727-hour pilot reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he planned use the Winston Field Airport (SNK), near Snyder, Texas, as his intermediate refueling point for his flight to Las Cruces. The pilot stated that the engine developed a "severe" vibration when the airplane was descending thought about 5,000 feet agl, approximately 15 miles east from the airport. The pilot added that he pulled the throttle back in order to stop the vibration to no avail. He subsequently pulled the mixture to the closed position and then pulled the nose up to stop the rotation of the propeller, which stopped the vibration. The pilot located an open pasture and elected to line-up the airplane for a forced landing. The terraces that were cut in the pasture were not visible from the airplane. During the landing roll, the main landing gear collided with the first set of terraces and the airplane became airborne. During the collision with the second terrace, the left main landing gear was "ripped-back." According to the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, a tip of one of the wooden propeller blades was missing and that could not be found. Additionally, the left main landing gear was pushed aft, the engine firewall was bent and the engine mounts were damaged. The remaining pieces of the Aymar-Demuth (model 3600) wooden propeller were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Materials Laboratory, in Washington D.C., for examination; however, the Lab was unable to determine the failure mode of the propeller due to the limited amount of pieces provided. The pilot/builder of the aircraft reported that the propeller had accumulated a total of 284 hours since new. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3XS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3XS), registered now, S/N C001, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Prill RV-6 - Registry model: [Prill Charles CP-6](https://openairdocs.org/model/prill-charles-cp-6) (registry code 05603MH) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: CP001 - Airframe hours: 622 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-AIA 180 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Charles Prill - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, October 12, 2003, 22 hours before - Departed: AFW, Fort Worth, TX - Destination: LRU, Las Cruces, NM ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review December 17, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 727 total, 622 in this make and model, 683 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 30° at 8 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.32 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031017027309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031017027309A), Oct 17, 2003: Amtr CP6, Snyder, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On October 17, 2003, at approximately 10:30 am, the owner/operator stated he departed ft. worth alliance airport (afw) for a planned flight to las cruces… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.