- Date
- July 18, 1993, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Alamogordo, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N851BZZbacnick Challenger II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930718024249A
- Case key
- 18833
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 seizure of the propeller shaft bearing and the resultant propeller blade separation. Factors were the unfavorable winds and the lack of suitable terrain available 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 propeller separated from the homebuilt airplane while in cruise flight due to the seizure of the propeller shaft bearing. During the subsequent downwind forced landing to an open field the pilot overshot the landing area and the airplane impacted the top of a berm and bounced. The winds at the time of the accident were from the west at ten knots, gusting to 17 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 18, 1993, at 1030 mountain daylight time, a Zbacnick Challenger II homebuilt airplane, N851BZ, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Alamogordo, New Mexico, following the inflight separation of the propeller. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight.
According to the pilot, a slight loss of RPM was experienced while maneuvering in the local area. The engine continued to operate normally after the throttle was advanced to reestablish normal power. The pilot further stated that approximately ten minutes later, a slight vibration developed, followed by the departure of the propeller assembly.
While attempting to land on an open field, the pilot overshot the landing area and the airplane impacted the top of a berm at the end of the strip and bounced. Examination of the airplane revealed that the propeller bearing had seized resulting in the separation of the propeller. The winds at the time of the accident were from the west at ten knots, gusting to 17 knots.
The wreckage was verbally released to the owner by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector at the accident site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N851BZ
- Reported as
- Zbacnick Challenger II (CHALLENGER)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- CH20389R0406
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 48 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Fambrough, Jerry L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
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
- 57
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,390 total · 9 in this make and model · 1,390 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ALM, 1 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.