- Date
- August 9, 1992, 12:35 local (16:35 UTC)
- Place
- St Mary'S, WV
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4531WRockwell 112-TC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920809029819A
- Case key
- 37198
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 fatigue cracking fracture of the propeller hub, resulting in a forced landing, and collision with a house.
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
The pilot said, 'while crusing at 9500 feet...there was a 'boom'...I realized...the engine just blew...' During the forced landing, the airplane struck a house. Examination of the maintenance records revealed that there had been two propeller strikes with this airplane. An examination of the engine revealed no malfunction or defect which would have contributed to the failure. The propeller blade hub assembly was examined by the NTSB metallurgist. In his report he stated: 'the hub failed as a result of fatigue cracking....the origin of the fatigue was not located on a part of the hub that was recovered. Damage to the preload plate shelf...indicated that the hub had previously experienced a blade strike....the ground strike could have had an affect on the failure of the hub, but without the origin area for examination other...causes...cannot be ruled out.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4531W
- Reported as
- Rockwell 112-TC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 13040
- Airframe hours
- 1,388
- Engine
- Lycoming TO-360-C1A6D, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sherman D. Taffel
- Registered owner
- Sherman D. Taffel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1992 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- LOU · Louisville, KY
- Destination
- M24 · Clarksville, MD
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 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,266 total · 277 in this make and model · 1,133 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.