SAN ANDREAS, CA, USA
N87CT
CHARLES T. BRIETIGAM RV-4
THE PILOT OF A HOMEBUILT EXPERIENCED A SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION DURING FLIGHT AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN PRIOR TO THE APPROACH. GROUND AND AIRBORNE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT APPROACH THE FIELD FROM OVERHEAD. HE PROCEEDED TO LINE THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE RUNWAY AND THEN EXECUTED A 360 DEGREE TURN WHEN OVER THE RUNWAY AT AN ESTIMATED 100 TO 150 FEET. RUNWAY IS 3600 FEET LONG. DURING THE TURN THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AND DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOUND FOUR BROKEN PROPELLER BOLTS AND SEVERE BOLT AND BUSHING ELONGATION ON THE PROPELLER EXTENSION AND SPINNER BULKHEAD.
THE FAILURE OF FOUR PROPELLER RETENTION BOLTS WHICH REQUIRED THE ENGINE TO BE SHUT DOWN. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE FORCED LANDING APPROACH.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
