- Date
- August 18, 2006, 07:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Glendale, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N39262Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20060818020049A
- Case key
- 64406
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 failure and separation of one propeller blade for undetermined reasons.
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
A propeller blade separated from the hub assembly during the takeoff initial climb. The pilot turned back for the runway, and made an uneventful landing. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the glider, and noted that the engine had pulled away from the firewall, which was damaged. Prior to the FAA inspector's examination of the glider, the owner removed the propeller assembly. The aircraft owner declined to produce the propeller assembly for further examination.
Factual narrative
On August 18, 2006, about 0730 mountain standard time, a Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109 motorized glider , N39262, lost a propeller blade during the takeoff initial climb from Glendale Municipal (GEU), Glendale, Arizona. The pilot/owner operated the motorized glider as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The glider sustained substantial damage. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was originating at the time. The glider landed at GEU without further incident at 33 degrees 31.62 minutes north latitude and 112 degrees 17.71 minutes west longitude.
According to the pilot, shortly after takeoff a propeller blade separated from the propeller hub. He returned to the airport and landed without further incident.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the glider at GEU, and noted that the engine had pulled away from the firewall, which was damaged. The FAA inspector reported that he was not able to view the propeller assembly as it had been removed prior to his arrival. He asked the pilot/owner to allow him access to the propeller assembly. However, the pilot/owner did not produce the propeller for inspection.
Repeated attempts to gather additional information about the glider and propeller assembly from the pilot by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge went unheeded.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39262
- Reported as
- Burkhart Grob Flugzeugbau G109
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 6151
- Airframe hours
- 1,243.2
- Engine
- Limbach L2000 EB1A, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles T. Blanchette
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2005 · 1,243.2 hours before
- Departed
- GEU · Glendale, AZ
- Destination
- GEU
- Airport
- GEU · Glendale Municipal, runway 01, 7,150 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 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.