NTSB Identification: CEN12LA539
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, August 11, 2012 in Burlington, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/13/2013
Aircraft: GN-1 AIRCAMPER MATHES, registration: N31TM
Injuries: 2 Minor.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot departed on a local flight during which the airplane experienced an in-flight separation of the propeller. The pilot then performed a forced landing to a field that resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the pilot installed the propeller bolts backwards. The bolts were also found to be improperly torqued.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's improper installation of the propeller bolts, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the propeller.
On August 11, 2012, at 1600 central daylight time, a GN-1 Aircamper, N31TM, impacted terrain during a forced landing to a field near Burlington, Wisconsin, after the propeller with its bolts separated from the airplane during cruise flight. The certificated private pilot and a passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the local flight that departed from Burlington Municipal Airport, Burlington, Wisconsin, about 1500.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane, stated that the pilot shut down the engine two times when the he experienced an in-flight vibration during a local flight. The pilot then landed the airplane on a field. The propeller was found 500 yards from the airplane. The inspector stated that the pilot installed the propeller bolts backwards and they were not properly torqued. The tachometer time at the time of the accident was 607.9 hours.
The FAA inspector gave the pilot two National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Accident/Incident Report forms when he met the pilot. The pilot was also sent an NTSB Accident/Incident Report form by the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge. An NTSB Accident/Incident Report was not received from the pilot.
NTSB Identification: CEN12LA539
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, August 11, 2012 in Burlington, WI
Aircraft: GN-1 AIRCAMPER MATHES, registration: N31TM
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On August 11, 2012, at 1600 central daylight time, a GN-1 Aircamper, N31TM, impacted terrain during a forced landing to a field near Burlington, Wisconsin, after the propeller with its bolts separated from the airplane during cruise flight. The certificated private pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the flight that departed from Burlington Municipal Airport, Burlington, Wisconsin, about 1500.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 31TM Make/Model: EXP Description: GN-1 AIRCAMPER
Date: 08/11/2012 Time: 2100
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: BURLINGTON State: WI Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD, NEAR BURLINGTON, WI
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Pleasure Phase: Landing Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: MILWAUKEE, WI (GL13) Entry date: 08/13/2012
TOWN OF BURLINGTON — A small home-built plane made a crash landing Saturday afternoon near the Burlington Municipal Airport, according to officials from the Racine County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The plane’s two passengers sustained minor cuts and bruises and declined medical treatment, said Sgt. Dan Hogan, of the Sheriff’s Office.
The plane’s male operator and female passenger, whose names were not being released Saturday, reportedly left from the Burlington airport, 703 Airport Road, for a pleasure flight. While in the air, they heard a strange sound, Hogan said.
“Maybe a popping sound,” he said. “The plane started to vibrate and at that point the operator knew he had to land the plane.”
The plane came down in a cornfield about two miles north of the airport, said Tony Molinaro, FAA spokesman.
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