# NTSB MIA07LA013: Winter J.T/Johnson Kitfox III, N727PD, Southwest Ranch, FL, November 11, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 11, 2006, 14:19 local (19:19 UTC) - Place: Southwest Ranch, FL - Coordinates: 26, -80.25 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0000&lon=-80.2500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 27, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 64871 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA07LA013 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64871/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA07LA013 ## Probable cause The owner/builder's improper maintenance/installation of the propeller which resulted in a propeller blade coming loose and separating from the hub. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - propeller system/accessories - separation - maintenance,installation - improper, owner/builder (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The flight instructor stated that while in cruise flight the engine suddenly began to operate "badly", and the whole airplane vibrated intensely. He said that they flew away from the populated residential areas and made a forced landing in the area of a landfill. During the landing rollout the airplane nosed over, incurring damage. According to the FAA inspector who responded to the scene of the accident, upon inspecting the airplane he found one propeller blade missing, with part of the blade root remaining in the hub. Furthermore, he found that one blade mounting bolt was loose and the bolt associated with the missing blade had fractured. The inspector noted no other anomalies with the accident airplane. On May 29, 2007 the NTSB sent the propeller, and its associated mounting hardware, minus the missing blade, to the propeller manufacturer, IVOProp Corporation, Long Beach, California, for further examination, under the supervision of an FAA inspector. The examination revealed that the propeller had been improperly assembled, and was missing the required Motion Detector Tape, which resulted in the blade bolt holes elongating, and one blade separating from the hub in flight. ## Factual narrative On November 11, 2006, about 1419 eastern standard time, a Winter J.T/Johnson Kitfox III experimental amateur-built airplane, N727PD, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, had the flight crew experience aircraft vibrations in-flight, and the crew made a forced landing in Southwest Ranches, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated flight instructor received no injuries, and the student pilot received minor injuries. The airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Southwest Ranches, the same day, about 1330. The flight instructor stated that while in cruise flight the engine suddenly began to operate "badly", and the whole airplane vibrated intensely. He said that they flew away from the populated residential areas and made a forced landing in the area of a landfill. During the landing rollout the airplane nosed over, incurring damage. According to the FAA inspector who responded to the scene of the accident, upon inspecting the airplane he found one propeller blade missing, with part of the blade root remaining in the hub.. Furthermore, he found that one blade mounting bolt was loose and the bolt associated with the missing blade had fractured. The inspector noted no other anomalies with the accident airplane. The NTSB sent the propeller, and its associated mounting hardware, minus the missing blade, to the propeller manufacturer, IVOProp Corporation, Long Beach, California, for further examination, under the supervision of an FAA inspector. The examination revealed that the propeller had been improperly assembled, and was missing the required Motion Detector Tape, which resulted in the blade bolt holes elongating, and one blade separating from the hub in flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: N727PD (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Winter J.T/Johnson Kitfox III - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Airframe hours: 402 - Engines: Rotax 582LC 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jean Lambert - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special); Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2006, 55 hours before - Departed: Southwest Ranch, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 37; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review October 1, 2006; seat: right; flight hours: 1,050 total, 20 in this make and model, 965 as pilot in command, 76 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 12 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 66; injuries: minor; student; last flight review November 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 130 total, 22 in this make and model, 50 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 120° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: FLL ## 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 20061111029649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061111029649A), Nov 11, 2006: Amtr KITFOXIII, Southwestranche, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On November 11, 2006, about 1419 eastern standard time, a winter j.t./johnson Kitfox iii experimental amateur-built airplane, N727PD, registered to and… 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.