ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 35270
Last updated: 24 May 2013
This information is added by users of ASN. ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:15-SEP-1989
Time:0652
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA31 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain
Operator:Ameriflight
Registration: N70PE
C/n / msn: 31-805 2137
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Ontario, CA -   United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature:Unknown
Departure airport:Ontario, CA (ONT)
Destination airport:Santa Barbara, CA (SBA)
Narrative:
THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE PROPELLER HUB FRACTURE RESULTED IN ONE OF THE THREE PROPELLER BLADES DETACHING FROM THE HUB. THE REST OF THE PROPELLER HUB THEN SEPARATED STRIKING THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE. OIL WAS SPREAD ACROSS THE AIRCRAFT NOSE AND WINDSHEILD. THE FUSELAGE RIGHT SIDE DAMAGE INCREASED AERODYNAMIC DRAG. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ENGINE COWLING WAS TORN. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN AND DIVE. IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR INVERTED ATTITUDE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED PROP HUB REVEALED METAL FATIGUE EMANATING FROM THE THREADED HOLE FOR THE GREASE FITTING. THE THREADS HAD BEEN DEFORMED BY SHOT PEENING, RESULTING IN INCREASED STRESS CONCENTRATIONS AT THE THREADS. CAUSE: FAILURE OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER HUB DUE TO METAL FATIGUE WHICH RESULTED IN CATASTROPHIC SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE AIRCRAFT AIRFRAME IN FLIGHT BY THE SEPARATING PROPELLER MAKING THE AIRCRAFT UNCONTROLLABLE.

Sources:
NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X29403


Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
Number of views: 640

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description