# NTSB LAX03LA104: Towner Kit Fox 4, N95FT, Glendale, AZ, March 3, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 3, 2003, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Glendale, AZ - Coordinates: 33.527221, -112.29528 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5272&lon=-112.2953&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 56574 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA104 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56574/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA104 ## Probable cause the propeller's separation in-flight as a result of a bird strike. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, cruise - object - bird(s) (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - propeller system/accessories,blade - separation (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment ## Analysis The airplane impacted a dirt bank and nosed over during an emergency landing after the airplane lost a portion of its propeller during flight. During cruise flight, the pilots heard a loud "womp" followed by a vibration. The pilot could see that the propeller was split and a piece of it was missing. The pilot and his CFI advised the tower that they would be making an emergency landing. They shut down the engine, and made an approach to land in an alfalfa field; however, they hit the bank. The pilot found a small feather with a reddish colored material on the propeller after the accident. A propeller examination revealed no preimpact anomalies. Laboratory examination of the propeller revealed positive test results for blood and animal tissue. ## Factual narrative On March 3, 2003, about 1400 mountain standard time, a homebuilt experimental Towner Kit Fox 4, N95FT, nosed over during an emergency landing at Glendale, Arizona, after losing a portion of its propeller during flight. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane on a local area instructional flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The private pilot and the certified flight instructor (CFI) were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Glendale Municipal Airport about 1310. In a written statement submitted by the owner of the airplane, he stated that shortly after calling Glendale tower, they heard a loud "womp" followed by a vibration. The pilot reported that he could see the propeller had split and a piece of it was missing. The pilot and his CFI advised the tower that they would be making an emergency landing. They shut down the engine and made an approach to land in an alfalfa field. During the landing roll out, the airplane impacted a dirt bank and came to rest inverted. Tennessee Propeller, Inc., Normandy, Tennessee, examined the propeller under the surveillance of a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector. The propeller had 38 plies of wood veneer that were laminated as a blank prior to machine shaping and sanding. One blade sustained damage; the other blade did not. The damaged blade had evidence of mud on the surface and water in the grain. A large piece of the blade fit into a portion of the propeller that had the damage. However, a large portion of the blade was still missing. The damage appeared to result from bending of the blade to a degree that a large portion failed in a negative direction to that of normal thrust. Because the piece of the propeller that had separated in flight was not recovered, the inspector could not conclude that the propeller failed in flight. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) interviewed the pilot by telephone after the propeller examination. The pilot reported that prior to the propeller separation he did not feel any vibrations or observe any nicks on the propeller. After the unusual sound just prior to landing, the CFI noticed a portion of the propeller fall to the ground. After the accident, the pilot noticed a small feather on the propeller and reddish colored material. The IIC sent the propeller to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory, Washington D.C., for examination. The specialist took samples of the propeller and subjected them to Phenolphthalein presumptive blood tests. Each test responded with positive results. The positive tests suggested that animal tissue was present. The specialist took an additional sample from the root of the blade, immersed it in water, and subjected it to ultrasonic agitation. The specialist filtered the resulting cloudy liquid, and examined the particles using a stereomicroscope. The residue was medium brown colored containing tan colored particles with a gel-like consistency. A singular piece of the residue measured approximately 0.016-inch long and 0.0025-inch diameter. The report (NTSB Report No. 03-803) is contained in the docket for this accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N95FT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N95FT-2004-08-10), registration cancelled 2004-08-10, S/N 1557, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Towner Kit Fox 4 - Registry model: [Towner Melvin Dwain KITFOX 4](https://openairdocs.org/model/towner-melvin-dwain-kitfox-4) (registry code 05628QT) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Volkswagen CONVERSION](https://openairdocs.org/engine/volkswagen-conversion) (registry code 63501, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1557 - Airframe hours: 146 - Engines: Volkswagen 2180 Type I 75 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Andrew Schaefer - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 11, 2002 - Departed: KGEU, Glendale, AZ - Destination: KGEU ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review July 12, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 761 total, 3 in this make and model, 3 in the last 30 days - Flight instructor; age 82; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review February 14, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 15,000 total, 15,000 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 18,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: GEU ## 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 20030303003019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030303003019A), Mar 3, 2003: Amtr KITFOXIV, Phoenix, AZ, Substantial damage. (.19) On March 3, 2003, about 1400 mountain standard time, a homebuilt towner kit fox 4, N95FT, made an emergency landing at glendale, Arizona, after losing… 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.