# NTSB WPR12LA143: Reich Glastar, N617G, Caldwell, ID, March 22, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 22, 2012, 10:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Caldwell, ID - Coordinates: 43.63861, -116.634719 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.6386&lon=-116.6347&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 14, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 83194 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12LA143 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83194/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83194 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA143 ## Probable cause The failure of a propeller blade at the hub due to fatigue cracking. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Propeller system: propeller assembly](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046110): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Reich Gordon GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046110/cases.md?model=05615SE), [All aircraft, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046110/cases.md) - [Propeller system: propeller hub section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046114): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Reich Gordon GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046114/cases.md?model=05615SE), [All aircraft, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046114/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338) (defining event); cases with it: [Reich Gordon GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=05615SE), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot/owner of the experimental, amateur-built airplane reported that, the day before the accident flight, the airplane experienced a vibration during flight. After landing, he attempted to determine the cause of the vibration without success. The next day, he conducted the accident flight to attempt to duplicate the vibration. Shortly after takeoff, one of the propeller blades separated. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing. The engine mounts were substantially damaged due to the unbalanced condition at the hub caused by the separated blade. The separated propeller blade was recovered, and postaccident examination of the propeller blade revealed that it had failed at the hub due to extensive fatigue cracking. ## Factual narrative On March 22, 2012, about 1045 mountain daylight time, an experimental Reich Glastar, N617G, made a forced landing following a separation of a propeller blade during takeoff at Caldwell Industrial Airport (EUL), Caldwell, Idaho. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight departed Caldwell about 1040. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that during a flight on March 21, 2012, he encountered a vibration, which he thought was in the engine area. After landing he attempted to locate the source of the vibration but was unsuccessful. The next day the pilot decided to try and duplicate the vibration in flight. During takeoff, when he was about 200 feet, one blade of the composite constant speed propeller separated at the hub. After the forced landing the pilot observed that the unbalanced condition caused three of the four engine mounts to fail. The installed propeller was a Vesta VT-2, with 125 hours total time since new. The separated propeller was recovered, and the blade shank was removed from the hub and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board laboratory in Washington, D.C., for evaluation. The materials laboratory specialist reported that the Vesta VT-2 propeller blade failed due to extensive fatigue cracking. The complete factual report is included in the accident docket. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N617G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N617G), registered now, S/N 5752, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: REICH GLASTAR - Registry model: [Reich Gordon GLASTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/reich-gordon-glastar) (registry code 05615SE) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-B1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-b1a) (registry code 41857, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 5752 - Airframe hours: 217 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-B1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 15, 2011, 0 hours before - Departed: EUL, Caldwell, ID - Destination: EUL, Caldwell, ID - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: EUL, Caldwell Industrial Airport, runway 12, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 73; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 7, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 13,000 total, 220 in this make and model, 13,000 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: EUL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120322003589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120322003589A), Mar 22, 2012: Reich Gordon GLASTAR, Caldwell, ID, Substantial damage. The pilot was taking off runway 12 at eul (Caldwell, ID), during climb out the pilot experienced a severe vibration at about 200 ft AGL. The vibration caused… ## Other investigations on N617G (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB WPR23FA301](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA301), Aug 4, 2023: Glasair Glastar (N617G), Idaho City, ID, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of airplane control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 24, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83194. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 685 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40394918&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 12-047 (10 images) (item 2, .PDF, 10 photos, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40366975&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2012-047%20(10%20images)-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.