- Date
- May 31, 2001, 09:35 local (13:35 UTC)
- Place
- Evesham Twp., NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1893Musso Nieuport 24
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 27, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20010531039369A
- Case key
- 52395
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
An in-flight propeller failure, which resulted in a forced landing.
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
About 10 minutes after takeoff, while in cruise flight about 1,400 feet msl., the pilot heard a "loud bang" and experienced severe vibration. He then shut down the engine and performed a forced landing to a field. Examination of the wreckage that one of the airplane's wooden propeller blades had split down it's longitudinal axis and separated in-flight. The propeller was uncertificated and built specifically for the airplane, which was a replica of a World War I fighter. The airplane, engine, and propeller had been operated for about 3 hours of flight time, and 5 to 7 hours of ground tests.
Factual narrative
On May 31, 2001, about 0935 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Nieuport 24, N1893, experienced an in-flight propeller failure and was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Evesham Township, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed South Jersey Regional Airport (VAY), Mount Holly, New Jersey, destined for the New Garden Airport (N57), Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania. The ferry flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In a telephone interview, the pilot stated he performed a normal pre-flight inspection and engine run-up prior to takeoff. Approximately 7 to 10 minutes after takeoff, while in cruise flight about 1,400 feet msl., the pilot heard a "loud bang" and experienced severe vibration. He then shut down the engine and performed a forced landing to a field.
The airplane nosed over during the landing and came to rest inverted.
The wreckage was examined by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. The inspector stated that one of the airplane's wooden propeller blades had split down it's longitudinal axis and separated in-flight. The remainder of the propeller remained attached to the engine.
According to the owner, the propeller installed on the airplane was uncertificated and built specifically for the accident airplane, which was a replica of a World War I fighter. The airplane, engine, and propeller had been operated for about 3 hours of flight time, and 5 to 7 hours of ground tests.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1893
- Reported as
- Musso Nieuport 24
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- PM7668
- Airframe hours
- 7
- Engine
- Warner SS 165, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Paul A. Musso
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 4, 2000 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- VAY · Mount Holly, NJ
- Destination
- N57 · Toughkenamon, PA
- Airport
- VAY · South Jersey Regional
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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- March 11, 2000
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 2,516 total · 2 in this make and model · 14 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 9 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- VAY, 8 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.