ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 34739
Last updated: 18 June 2013
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Date:16-APR-1982
Time:1550
Type:Silhouette image of generic M20P model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Mooney M20J
Operator:private
Registration: N3201P
C/n / msn: 240568
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Bird Island, MN -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:Thief River Fal, MN (TVF)
Destination airport:New Ulm, MN (ULM)
Narrative:
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THIEF RIVERS, MN AND PROCEEDED EN ROUTE TO NEW ULM, MN. ONE WITNESS NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE HEARD A NOISE THAT SOUNDED TO HIM LIKE AN EXPLOSION. HE AND OTHER WITNESSES IN THE VICINITY SAW THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING OUT OF CONTROL IN A ROLL OR A SPIN BEFORE IT CRASHED. ALSO, THEY SAW TWO OBJECTS FALLING FROM THE AIRCRAFT, ONE SMALL AND ONE LARGE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A PROPELLER BLADE, AND THEN THE ENGINE, HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT. THE PROPELLER BLADE WAS FOUND ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE LEFT OF THE FLIGHT PATH. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER BLADE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE CRACKING. THE FATIGUE ORIGINATED FROM A 1/16 INCH DEEP FORGING FOLD IN THE SURFACE OF THE BLADE NEAR THE BUTT END. THE PROPELLER, A MCCAULEY MODEL 90DHB-16E, HAD 340 HRS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME. CAUSE:

Sources:
NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20020917X01890


Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
Number of views: 603

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