- Date
- August 17, 1992, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Russellville, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5981PPiper PA-24-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920817032019A
- Case key
- 18555
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 pilot's improper flare. Factors were the propeller system's pitch change mechanism disconnected due to improper overhaul and failure to install the staking pins by other maintenance personnel.
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, who was also the mechanic, was performing an in flight rigging check of the airplane. During climb, a pop sound was heard and propeller thrust was lost. Movement of the propeller control had no effect and an emergency descent was initiated by the pilot. A 35 to 40 degree nose down attitude was required to maintain 85 knots during the forced landing to a road. The engine was not secured by the pilot. A hard landing occurred at an estimated 1,800 feet per minute descent rate, according to the pilot. The propeller system was torn down and two staking pins were missing. The guide collar, rod, fork, and piston had rotated around the hub. The propeller blades were disconnected from the pitch change mechanism. The propeller assembly had been overhauled and installed on the aircraft approximately 31.7 hours prior to the failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5981P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1074
- Airframe hours
- 2,265
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Hargus, Herbert H.
- Registered owner
- Hargus, Herbert H.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 7, 1992
- Departed
- MO6
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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,350 total · 100 in this make and model · 9,300 as pilot in command · 140 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5981P · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.