Rockwell 112-TC N4531W

Summary

On 9 August 1992 at about 16:35 local time, a Rockwell 112-TC registered N4531W, operated by Sherman D. Taffel, was involved in an accident near St Mary's, West Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 August 1992 at 16:35

Classification

Accident

Location

St Mary's, West Virginia, United States

Coordinates

39.4005, -81.1891

Aircraft

Rockwell 112-TC

Registration

N4531W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sherman D. Taffel

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Louisville → Clarksville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC92LA151

1 person had minor injuries.

THE FATIGUE CRACKING FRACTURE OF THE PROPELLER HUB, RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING, AND COLLISION WITH A HOUSE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT SAID, 'WHILE CRUSING AT 9500 FEET...THERE WAS A 'BOOM'...I REALIZED...THE ENGINE JUST BLEW...' DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A HOUSE. EXAMINATION OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THERE HAD BEEN TWO PROPELLER STRIKES WITH THIS AIRPLANE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT WHICH WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THE PROPELLER BLADE HUB ASSEMBLY WAS EXAMINED BY THE NTSB METALLURGIST. IN HIS REPORT HE STATED: 'THE HUB FAILED AS A RESULT OF FATIGUE CRACKING....THE ORIGIN OF THE FATIGUE WAS NOT LOCATED ON A PART OF THE HUB THAT WAS RECOVERED. DAMAGE TO THE PRELOAD PLATE SHELF...INDICATED THAT THE HUB HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED A BLADE STRIKE....THE GROUND STRIKE COULD HAVE HAD AN AFFECT ON THE FAILURE OF THE HUB, BUT WITHOUT THE ORIGIN AREA FOR EXAMINATION OTHER...CAUSES...CANNOT BE RULED OUT.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.