Mooney M20K N777CV

Summary

On 18 July 2011 at about 16:25 local time, a Mooney M20K registered N777CV, operated by Wilson Thomas S MD, was involved in an accident near Augusta, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 July 2011 at 16:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Augusta, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Augusta Regional Airport (AGS)

Coordinates

33.3672, -81.9539

Aircraft

Mooney M20K

Registration

N777CV

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Wilson Thomas S MD

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Augusta → Augusta

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11FA406

1 person died.

The pilot’s decision to fly the airplane after maintenance personnel advised him that the airplane should not be flown because the pilot provided an incorrect propeller for installation and the subsequent failure of the propeller attachment bolts and the separation of the propeller.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Maintenance personnel reported that, 2 days before the accident, they were hired by the pilot to prepare the airplane for a maintenance ferry flight following a gear-up landing. While inspecting the airplane, the mechanic noted that the three-blade propeller was bent, so he removed it. Subsequently, the pilot provided maintenance personnel with a two-blade propeller, which they installed. However, when the mechanic attempted to replace the spinner, it would not fit properly. Therefore, he did not sign off the logbooks and advised the pilot that the airplane should not be flown. Review of the airplane's records revealed that the airplane had a supplemental type certificate for an engine conversion kit that required a three-blade propeller. On the day of the accident, another mechanic conducted a run-up of the engine and noted that the propeller was not working correctly. The supplier of the two-blade propeller advised the mechanic that the airplane should not be flown in that condition. The mechanic discussed the anomaly with the pilot and advised him not to fly the airplane until the issue was resolved. The pilot acknowledged the discrepancy but chose to fly the airplane. Shortly after takeoff, witnesses observed the propeller separate from the airplane. Subsequently, the airplane spiraled to the ground in a nose-down attitude. Examinations revealed that the propeller attachment bolts had failed, which resulted in the separation of the propeller from the airplane. Five of the six propeller mounting studs exhibited evidence of high-stress fatigue cracking, which indicates that a severe spectrum of cyclic loading in the propeller/engine system occurred, likely as the result of using an unapproved propeller on the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.