- Date
- May 28, 1995, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fernandina Bch, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N18FLMoncrief Zodiac 601
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950528014359A
- Case key
- 37776
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 of maintenance personnel to adequately torque the propeller bolts during the last inspection resulting in the bolt failures and the loss of the propeller.
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
While in the traffic pattern the pilot of the homebuilt airplane noted the propeller flew off the engine. He executed a forced landing to a marsh short of the runway. Examination of the propeller retention bolts revealed fracture surfaces with signatures consistent with fatigue due to undertorque.
Factual narrative
On May 28, 1995, about 1515 eastern daylight time, N18FL, a homebuilt, Moncrief-Zodiac 601 crashed short of the runway at Fernandina Beach Airport, Fernandina Beach, Florida, while on a local 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight had originated from the same airport about 30 minutes earlier.
The pilot stated that while on approach for runway 05 the propeller separated from the airplane and he landed short of the runway. Examination of the propeller retention bolts revealed that the fracture surfaces exhibited signatures of failure consistent with fatigue due to inadequate torque.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18FL
- Reported as
- Moncrief Zodiac 601
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6-3073
- Airframe hours
- 19
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Moncrief, Keith D.
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 27, 1995 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- 55J · FL
- Destination
- 55J
- Airport
- 55J · Fernandina Beach, runway 5, 5,000 × 150 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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 137 total · 17 in this make and model · 22 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRG, 15 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.