Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Springfield, Illinois
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Location: Carbondale, IL
Accident Number: CEN17LA333
Date & Time: 08/28/2017, 0906 CDT
Registration: N28005
Aircraft: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP AA 5B
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Part(s) separation from AC
Injuries: 2 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
Analysis
The private pilot reported that, about 1 1/2 hours after departure and in cruise flight about 6,700 ft mean sea level, he felt a "jolt" as if the airplane had impacted an object. The pilot realized that the propeller was missing, initiated an emergency descent, and attempted to land at a nearby airport. Unable to glide to the airport, he decided to perform a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain and came to rest upright. Propeller sections and components were located about 9 miles from the accident site.
Material examination of the propeller revealed that the propeller fractured due to fatigue that initiated adjacent to two of the propeller attachment bolt holes. Fretting contact damage was observed at the primary fatigue initiation location. The contact damage appeared to be associated with the movement between the forward bulkhead and the propeller at the edges of the attachment bolt clamping locations, and some of the fretting contact damage likely preceded crack initiation in the propeller. Fatigue cracks were present in the forward bulkhead outboard of each of the propeller attachment holes. The symmetric nature of the cracks at all 6 holes and the locations of fatigue initiation at the forward and aft sides of the bulkhead suggest that the fatigue in the forward bulkhead could be associated with a rotational torque vibration in the spinner. Possible sources for high rotational torque vibration include looseness in the spinner attachment at the aft bulkhead or an engine issue that produced excessive rotational impulses.
Excessive clamping force from the attachment bolts may have also contributed to the initiation of fatigue cracks in the forward bulkhead. Excessive clamping force could have warped the forward bulkhead adjacent to the clamped area, leading to higher stresses in areas around the attachment holes where fatigue cracking was observed. The analysis of deposits from the threaded area within the crankshaft lug pieces suggested lubricant may have been present on the attachment bolt threads that should have been installed dry. The use of lubricant at installation would have reduced the frictional resistance to the applied torque, leading to higher than expected clamping force on the attachment bolts.
Crack arrest marks that appeared to coincide with flight cycles were observed on the fracture surface. One of the crack arrest marks would have a very high probability of detection by fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI); however, the presence of red deposits in the attachment holes and dowel holes suggest that red dye (visible) penetrant was used at some time on the propeller. The manufacturer recommends against using visible dye penetrant and indicates that the use of visible dye penetrant could prevent crack detection during subsequent FPI inspections.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The failure of the propeller due to fatigue as a result of improper installation by unknown maintenance personnel at some point during the life of the propeller.
Findings
Aircraft
Propeller assembly - Failure (Cause)
Propeller assembly - Fatigue/wear/corrosion (Cause)
Personnel issues
Installation - Maintenance personnel (Cause)
Factual Information
History of Flight
Enroute-cruise
Part(s) separation from AC (Defining event)
Emergency descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
On August 28, 2017, at 0906 central daylight time, a Gulfstream American Corporation AA-5B airplane, N28005, experienced a propeller separation in cruise flight and impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the pilot was receiving visual flight rules flight following. The flight departed Louisville, Kentucky, at 0815 eastern daylight time, and was destined for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The pilot reported that about 1 1/2 hours after departure and about 6,700 ft mean sea level, he felt a "jolt" in the airplane as if the airplane struck an unknown object. The pilot realized the airplane propeller was missing, and the engine began to overspeed at a high RPM. The pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic control, initiated an emergency descent, and attempted to land at the Southern Illinois Airport (MDH), Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot was unable to glide the airplane to MDH and executed a forced landing to a field near Carbondale. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The propeller, spinner, and spinner bulkhead were missing from the airplane wreckage.
Residential homeowners, located about 9 miles south of the accident site, found separated sections of an airplane propeller in their yards. The separated sections of the fixed-pitch propeller included both blades, the propeller hub, and other propeller installation components. The propeller sections were recovered by law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 66, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 03/01/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 12/18/2016
Flight Time: (Estimated) 2000 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1400 hours (Total, this make and model), 2000 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 37 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 12 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP
Registration: N28005
Model/Series: AA 5B B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1978
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: AA5B0937
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 01/25/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2400 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 33 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1506 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: LYCOMING
ELT: C91A installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-360-A4K
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 180 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
A review of the airplane records revealed the separated propeller sections matched the propeller model that was installed on the accident airplane. The most recent annual inspection was completed on January 25, 2017, at a tachometer time of 1,472.96. The tachometer time at the accident site was 1,506.71.
The McCauley model 1A170/FFA propeller was subject to repetitive inspections in accordance with Airworthiness Directive (AD) 82-27-01. The inspections are to be accomplished at intervals of 200 hours time in service (TIS). The inspections include removal of paint from the hub area followed by dye penetrant inspection of the attachment holes, center bore, and entire hub area. The last inspection per the AD was completed on March 20, 2015, at a tachometer time of 1,429.35 hours. According to the mechanic that performed the last recorded inspection, the shop did not use red dye penetrant, and inspections are performed with a fluorescent dye penetrant for higher sensitivity and easier clean-up.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: MDH
Observation Time: 0922 CDT
Distance from Accident Site:
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 18°C
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots, 10°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Precipitation
Departure Point: Louisville, KY (LOU)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: VFR
Destination: Oklahoma City, OK (PWA)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 0815 EDT
Type of Airspace: Unknown
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 37.673056, -89.259167 (est)
Tests And Research
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory Examination
The propeller with attached doubler, forward bulkhead, spacer, and attachment bolt pieces (propeller flange lugs) was examined by the NTSB Materials Laboratory.
Propeller
The propeller was fractured through the hub area with fractures adjacent to and partially intersecting bolt holes. Both fractures were on a relatively flat fracture planes with curving crack arrest marks, consistent with fatigue. The fatigue features on each fracture surface emanated from multiple origins located at the forward face. Fretting contact damage was observed near many of the attachment holes. Pink and red deposits were observed in the attachment and dowel holes for the propeller. No pink or red deposits were observed on the surfaces of the holes in the spacer.
The fatigue fracture region extended across most of the fracture surface. Near the origin, a portion of the fracture surface had a brown color, and an adjacent region with bluish gray tint. A periodic pattern of 17 crack arrest lines was observed between the bluish gray region and the fatigue boundary. No evidence of fluorescent dye was observed on the fracture surface.
Spacer
Fracture features in the spacer at the forward ends of a bolt hole and a dowel hole had a faceted appearance with the fracture on a plane perpendicular to the forward face, and features consistent with fatigue in the aluminum alloy. Fatigue features emanated from the hole corners at each location.
Doubler
Portions of the doubler fracture surfaces had flat fractures perpendicular to the surface with curving boundaries, features consistent with fatigue. The fatigue features were located at the edges of the attachment bolt contact faces. The fatigue propagated through the thickness of the doubler, initiating at the forward face in the fractures near 2 holes and initiated at the aft face near one hole.
The thickness of the doubler was measured in a flat area between the holes. The annular regions around the holes corresponding to the head contact area were recessed relative to the adjacent surfaces, and the surfaces were smeared in the circumferential direction consistent with sliding contact with the underside of the attachment bolt heads.
Forward Bulkhead
The forward bulkhead was fractured circumferentially outboard of the propeller attachment holes. Pieces were missing including the entire outer circumference and segments between 4 holes. Portions of the fracture surfaces had flat fractures perpendicular to the surface with curving boundaries, features consistent with fatigue. Fatigue regions were present outboard of each of the propeller attachment holes. The origins were located adjacent to the annular area associated with the attachment bolt heads, initiating at both the forward and aft sides of the bulkhead at each of the locations. The remaining fatigue regions had fracture features that generally propagated radially inboard or outboard and were located between attachment holes that corresponded to the propeller fracture locations.
Around each of the attachment holes, the forward bulkhead was deformed and was slightly dished with the concave side facing toward the forward direction.
Propeller Flange Lugs
Black deposits with silver flakes were observed in the threads and around the inner circumference of the lugs forward of the threads. A sample of the deposits were analyzed. The spectrum was consistent with carboxylic acid. A spectral library search was performed on the obtained material spectrum, and no strong matches were identified. However, there were some similarities to the spectra of several surfactants. Carboxylic acids are used in the production of several classes of surfactants. Carboxylic acids, as well as surfactants, can be found as components or additives to lubricants, greases, and fuels. According to the McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual, the torque specifications for propeller attachment bolts on fixed pitch propellers are for bolts installed dry.
Propeller Maintenance Instructions
The McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual refers to AD 82-27-01 and indicates the propeller should be inspected with fluorescent dye penetrant. In Section 15: Non-Destructive Procedures of the Information Manual, the inspection procedure for fluorescent dye penetrant inspection includes a note that states in part,
The use of visible dye penetrants (Type II) is not recommended for the inspection of the propeller and propeller hardware. While Type II visible dye penetrants do have limited crack detection capability, the constituents of visible dye penetrants are likely to deposit residue in crack voids. The residue can be extremely difficult to remove from cracks, regardless of the cleaning method employed. Cracks can become fully or partially masked by the remaining residue. Due to these characteristics, visible dye penetrants can make follow-on detection of existing cracks virtually impossible when using other NDI penetrant methods, specifically Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI).
The McCauley Propeller Systems Owner/Operator Information Manual also indicates fixed pitch propellers such as the accident model should be overhauled after 2,000 hour TIS or 72 calendar months, whichever occurs first (the time limits for overhaul listed in the owner's manual are not a requirement for airplanes such as the accident airplane operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91). The overhaul process includes removal and reapplication of paint to the propeller to facilitate dimensional and FPI inspections. According to a representative from McCauley Propeller Systems, the design logos on the accident propeller were discontinued from use at McCauley in 1998.
Flight Data Information
According to the flight log data provided by the pilot, the airplane accumulated 28 flight cycles and 89.9 hours TIS since the last propeller inspection per AD 82-27-01. No flight cycles were accumulated for more than 100 calendar days on several occasions.
NTSB Identification: CEN17LA333
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 28, 2017 in Carbondale, IL
Aircraft: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP AA 5B, registration: N28005
Injuries: 2 Serious.
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. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On August 28, 2017, at 0906 central daylight time, a Gulfstream American Corporation AA-5B airplane, N28005, experienced an in-flight propeller separation in cruise flight and impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a visual flight rules flight following flight plan was filed. The flight departed Louisville, Kentucky, at an unknown time, and was destined for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane was in cruise flight when the pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic control. The pilot initiated an emergency descent and attempted to land at the Southern Illinois Airport (MDH), Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot was unable to land at MDH and executed a forced landing to a field near Carbondale. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The propeller, spinner, and spinner bulkhead were missing from the airplane wreckage.
A home owner, located about 9 miles south of the accident site, found a separated section of an airplane propeller in the residence's yard. The separated section of the fixed-pitch propeller included one blade and about 1/2 of the propeller hub. The propeller section was recovered by law enforcement and returned to the accident site. A review of the airplane records, which were located in the airplane, revealed the separated propeller section matched the propeller model installed on the accident airplane.
The airplane and propeller section were recovered for further examination.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, August 28, 2017 in Carbondale, IL
Aircraft: GULFSTREAM AMERICAN CORP AA 5B, registration: N28005
Injuries: 2 Serious.
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. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On August 28, 2017, at 0906 central daylight time, a Gulfstream American Corporation AA-5B airplane, N28005, experienced an in-flight propeller separation in cruise flight and impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing near Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a visual flight rules flight following flight plan was filed. The flight departed Louisville, Kentucky, at an unknown time, and was destined for Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane was in cruise flight when the pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic control. The pilot initiated an emergency descent and attempted to land at the Southern Illinois Airport (MDH), Carbondale, Illinois. The pilot was unable to land at MDH and executed a forced landing to a field near Carbondale. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain, and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The propeller, spinner, and spinner bulkhead were missing from the airplane wreckage.
A home owner, located about 9 miles south of the accident site, found a separated section of an airplane propeller in the residence's yard. The separated section of the fixed-pitch propeller included one blade and about 1/2 of the propeller hub. The propeller section was recovered by law enforcement and returned to the accident site. A review of the airplane records, which were located in the airplane, revealed the separated propeller section matched the propeller model installed on the accident airplane.
The airplane and propeller section were recovered for further examination.
JACKSON COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Two men were hurt in a plane crash in Jackson County, Illinois on Monday, Aug. 28.
According to Captain Michael O'Leary with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, someone from the Southern Illinois Airport Tower called the department at 9:10 a.m. to report an aircraft that was in distress about seven miles south of the airport.
Just moments later, 911 calls started coming in about a plane crash in an orchard near Grammer Road south of Murphysboro.
The plane crashed near Kite Hill Vineyard. The plane hit a tree when it went down.
The two men inside the cockpit had major injuries. They were both flown to area hospitals by helicopter.
Witnesses said people who saw the plane go down jumped into action to help the two men who were on board the plane. One of those witnesses, Ashley Clerk, recalls her experience of the crash.
"We were out here working," Clerk said. "And all of a sudden we seen a plane flying around and he just kinda came down real low...almost looked like he was doing a stunt....turned on his side, came back up like he was going to do a figure eight and he just lost it over the tree line right there and just crashed. We took off running as hard as we could, all of us. every one of us out here."
The names and condition of the two men involved are not being released. Investigators believe they were both from out of state. Online records show the plane is registered in Oklahoma.
"It was definitely scary. It was something out of a movie, really. One of the gentlemans head was gashed open across the top...one of them had a wound there above his eye," Clerk said. "You can definitely tell they need medical help immediately. If you see something go wrong, help! that's the main thing. help people! get out there and do something. Don't let people suffer."
No one on the ground was hurt.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration are on the scene.
Story, video and photo gallery ➤ http://www.kfvs12.com
MURPHYSBORO, Ill. • Two people suffered serious injuries and were airlifted to regional hospitals after a small plane crashed Monday morning in a peach orchard near south of here.
According to a news release from Jackson County (Ill.) Sheriff's Office, the plane appears to have struck a tree. One wing appeared to have been sheared off and was under a pine tree.
Lt. Jennifer Lindsey of Jackson County Sheriff's Office was at the scene of the crash. She said the flight was believed to have originated in Oklahoma. She did not know the direction the plane was traveling or its destination.
The crash was reported about 9:10 a.m. Monday via a Southern Illinois Airport tower call regarding an aircraft in distress and several 911 calls from witnesses on the ground.
“Within minutes, we had a dozen or more 911 calls of a plane in distress,” Lindsey said.
When officials responded to the scene, they found that the plane's two male occupants were still inside the cockpit. Both men suffered major injuries, the release said, and both were extracted from the wreckage and flown from the scene to regional hospitals.
Their conditions are unknown, and the sheriff's office is not identifying the two. The release did say the sheriff believes they are both from out of state.
A bystander said both victims appeared to him to be conscious when they were put into the air ambulances.
No individuals or property on the ground were damaged. The cause of the crash is not known, the sheriff's office said.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration were notified about the crash and were expected to arrive on the scene Monday.
In addition to sheriff's office personnel, emergency crews from the Murphysboro, Pomona, Somerset Township Fire Department and the Jackson County Ambulance Services responded to the crash.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.stltoday.com
MURPHYSBORO -- A county sheriff’s office says two people were seriously hurt when a small plane crashed into a southern Illinois orchard.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reports the plane involved in the Monday morning crash near Murphysboro appears to have crashed into a tree.
The Southern Illinoisan reports there was a Southern Illinois Airport tower call about an aircraft in distress. There also were 911 calls from witnesses on the ground. Responders found two males inside the cockpit. The sheriff’s office says both suffered major injuries and were flown to regional hospitals. Their conditions weren’t immediately known.
The sheriff says the cause of the crash isn’t known. No people or property on the ground were hurt or damaged.
Murphysboro is about 90 miles southeast of St. Louis.
Original article can be found here ➤ http://www.sj-r.com
MURPHYSBORO -- A small plane crashed just south of Murphysboro Monday morning.
The crash happened near the intersection of Route 127 and Grammer Road around 9:10.
A Jackson County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson tells News 3 that two men were on board the plane. They were still in the cockpit of the badly damaged aircraft when deputies arrived on scene. Both were flown to out of state hospitals from the scene with major injuries.
An initial investigation shows that the pilot made an emergency call reporting a mechanical failure just before clipping a tree and crashing.
FAA officials are aware of the crash and will be in the area to investigate the cause.
Original article ➤ http://www.wsiltv.com
in most all aviation accidents, the 'severity of injuries inflicted as a result of blunt force trauma is dependent on the amount of kinetic energy transferred and the tissue to which the energy is transferred. The kinetic energy associated with a moving object is equal to one half the mass of that object multiplied by the velocity of the object squared (1/2 mv2). In general, a somewhat lighter object traveling at high speed will cause more damage than a heavier object traveling at low speed.'
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