- Date
- April 6, 1989, 19:15 local (Apr 7, 1989, 02:15 UTC)
- Place
- Independence, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N504JTThiessen RV-4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890406006499A
- Case key
- 40994
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
Failure of the propeller. A related factor was the obstruction (transmission line) in the emergency landing area.
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 plt had installed a used 'scimitar' prop while waiting for his to be refinished. During a speed run at 190 mph, with about 2900 RPM, part of prop separated. The plt shut down the eng & initiated an emergency landing. However, while maneuvering to avoid wires, at about 25 to 50 ft AGL, the acft stalled, then mushed into the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N504JT
- Reported as
- Thiessen RV-4
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- RV-4
- Airframe hours
- 55
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Jacob Thiessen
- Registered owner
- Jacob Thiessen
- Last inspection
- Unknown · April 5, 1989 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- 7S5
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 638 total · 55 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.