# NTSB MIA08CA178: Dehavilland DH82A, N80660, Sevierville, TN, August 30, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 30, 2008, 16:20 local (20:20 UTC) - Place: Sevierville, TN - Coordinates: 35.811668, -83.774444 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8117&lon=-83.7744&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 22, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 68838 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA08CA178 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68838/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08CA178 ## Probable cause The failure of the wooden propeller. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Propeller system: propeller blade section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046111): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Dehavilland DH82A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046111/cases.md?model=2800101), [All aircraft, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046111/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Dehavilland DH82A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=2800101), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) (defining event); cases with it: [Dehavilland DH82A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=2800101), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Dehavilland DH82A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2800101), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis During takeoff, at about 100 feet in the air, near the end of the runway, the pilot heard a loud bang and immediately felt an increasing vibration. He reduced engine power and maneuvered to return to the runway. As he lined up for the runway, the engine was producing power but he felt no thrust. The airplane lost altitude and the pilot landed in a rough pasture short of the runway. The landing gear separated and the left wing buckled before coming to a stop. Post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the brass tip separated from the wooden propeller and the blades separated to the hub section. The missing pieces of propeller were not located. ## Factual narrative The pilot of the DeHavilland DH-82A stated that shortly after takeoff he heard a loud bang over the engine noise and through the headset, followed immediately by severe vibration which increased until he reduced the power from take off to low cruise. The airplane was about 100 feet in the air and very near the end of the runway when the trouble started. The pilot elected to try to continue the climb and return to the field as quickly as possible. He was able to maintain sufficient airspeed while he turned around and lined up with the runway. Before he made the runway, the engine, though still running, felt like it stopped providing any thrust. The airplane was no longer able to maintain altitude and touched down in a pasture just before the runway. What appeared from the air to be a relatively smooth pasture; however, the terrain was rough and the impact sheared the landing gear. The left wing buckled as it settled to the ground. The pilot estimated that the total time from lift off to touchdown was approximate 2 to 3 minutes. The responding FAA inspector stated that examination of the engine revealed no discrepancies with it and its components. The wooden propeller was destroyed, split to the hub section. The propeller brass tip cap separated which started the initial vibration and tearing the propeller apart; consistent with the pilot’s account of having engine power but no thrust. The missing sections of the propeller were never located. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N80660](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N80660), registered now, S/N 82473, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DEHAVILLAND DH82A - Registry model: [Dehavilland DH82A](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dh82a) (registry code 2800101) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Dehav ENG GIPSY MAJOR](https://openairdocs.org/engine/dehav-eng-gipsy-major) (registry code 20004, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 82473 - Airframe hours: 24 - Engines: DEHAV ENG GIPSY MAJOR 140 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 25, 2008, 24 hours before - Departed: TN20, Sevierville, TN - Destination: TN98, Knoxville, TN - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: TN20, Seymour Air Park ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 30, 2008; seat: rear; flight hours: 2,000 total, 15 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KTYS, 11 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20080830848089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080830848089A), Aug 30, 2008: Dhav DH82A, Sevierville, TN, Substantial damage. (-23) It appears that the propellar lost it's brass tip cap on takeoff. See attached pilot's statement. Engine inspection and disassembly could find nothing… 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.