MORIARTY, NM, USA
N185SA
SURLINE SIDEWINDER
WITNESSES HEARD THE ACFT ENG SOUND INCREASE DRAMATICALLY AS THE ACFT PASSED OVER A GEN AVIATION AIRPORT. THE ACFT WAS SEEN BY ANOTHER WITNESS AT LOW ATL, ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 200 FT, AS THE NOSE PITCHED UP. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A SPIN AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE WOODEN PROPELLER HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT AND IT WAS LATER FOUND NEAR WHERE THE FIRST WITNESS HEARD THE ENG SOUND INCREASE. EXAMINATION OF THE PROP SHOW ALL THE BOLTS THAT SECURE THE PROP TO THE CRANKSHAFT WERE SHEARED. THE EXAMINATION FURTHER REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO REINFORCING PLATE BETWEEN THE BOLT HEADS AND THE WOODEN PROP HUB, ONLY THE FRONT SPINNER BULKHEAD. THE FRONT SPINNER BULKHEAD SHOWED WEAR AS DID THE BOLT HOLES IN THE PROP HUB.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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