- Date
- September 29, 1999, 14:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Woodward, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N68591Stinson L-5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990929032429A
- Case key
- 47500
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 in-flight separation of the tip of a wood propeller blade. Contributing factors were the soft terrain and ditch encountered during the precautionary 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
During cruise flight, the airplane developed an 'extreme' vibration. During the ensuing precautionary landing to a dirt road, the aircraft encountered soft dirt and veered to the right, impacting a ditch. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that one of the blades of the wooden propeller was missing its metal tip.
Factual narrative
On September 29, 1999, at 1445 central daylight time, a Stinson L-5 vintage airplane, N68591, registered to the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing near Woodward, Oklahoma. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. 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 originated from Hutchinson, Kansas, at 1305, with a destination of Midland, Texas.
The pilot reported that during cruise flight, the airplane developed an "extreme" vibration. During the ensuing precautionary landing to a dirt road, the airplane encountered soft dirt and veered to the right, impacting a ditch.
Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the right wing was structurally damaged. Further examination revealed that one of the blades of the wooden propeller was missing its metal tip, and the wood beneath the missing metal tip was discolored. The propeller was a Fahlin model 44K15005, S/N 49779.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68591
- Reported as
- Stinson L-5
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 42-98667
- Airframe hours
- 3,190
- Engine
- Lycoming O-435, 195 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stephen A. Zoelle
- Registered owner
- Amer Air Power Heritage Fly Mu
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 1999 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- HUT · Hutchinson, KS
- Destination
- MAF · Midland, TX
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,027 total · 132 in this make and model · 945 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- 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 N68591 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.