- Date
- May 13, 2004, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wauseon, OH
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N78KFraker Mustang II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Cleveland, OH
- FAA report
- 20040513012979A
- Case key
- 59232
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 the drive coupling between the engine and the propeller speed reducer. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection of the drive coupling.
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
According to the pilot, while in the traffic pattern, he heard a loud grinding noise, and noted a subsequent loss of airspeed. As the homebuilt airplane descended, the pilot realized that he would not be able to land on the runway, and performed a forced landing to a field. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the drive coupling between the automotive V8 engine and the propeller speed reducer disconnected. Further examination of the coupling revealed that the rivets holding the coupling together failed. The pilot added, "a better inspection of the drive coupling may have caught this problem."
Factual narrative
On May 13, 2004, at 1100 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Mustang II, N78K, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, after experiencing a loss of propeller control while landing at the Fulton County Airport (USE), Wauseon, Ohio. The certificated private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, while in the traffic pattern at USE, he heard a loud grinding noise, and noted a subsequent loss of airspeed. As the airplane descended, the pilot realized that he would not be able to land on the runway, and performed a forced landing to a field.
The airplane was equipped with an automotive V8 engine, which was connected to a propeller speed reducer by a coupling.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the drive coupling was disconnected. Further examination of the coupling revealed that the rivets holding the coupling together failed.
The pilot added, "a better inspection of the drive coupling may have caught this problem."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N78K
- Reported as
- Fraker Mustang II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- MII 952
- Airframe hours
- 716
- Engine
- General Motors 1962 V-8, 170 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Carlton Fraker
- Registered owner
- Carlton R. Fraker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 2, 2003 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- 7W5 · Napolean, OH
- Destination
- USE · Wauseon, OH
- Airport
- USE · Fulton County Airport, runway 27, 3,882 × 75 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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 9, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,428 total · 717 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- TOL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.