GOODYEAR, AZ, USA
N67536
BEECH F33A
DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB, ONE PROPELLER BLADE SEPARATED AND THE RESULTING IMBALANCE CAUSED THE REMAINING PROPELLER BLADE AND HUB TO SEPARATE. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT PITCH UP, THEN ENTER A RIGHT TURN, IN AN APPARENT MANEUVER TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT BANK ANGLE CONTINUE TO STEEPEN UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER AND ENTERED A SPIN. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED BLADE REVEALED THAT IT SEPARATED DUE TO A FATIGUE FRACTURE IN THE FIRST FULL THREAD OF THE THREADED SHANK PORTION, WHICH FITTED INSIDE A FERRULED FITTING. EXTENSIVE METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE FAILED TO IDENTIFY THE INITIATING DEFECT IN THE FATIGUE FRACTURE. ON SITE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS HEAVILY COATED WITH ENGINE OIL.
THE INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF ONE PROPELLER BLADE DUE TO A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF UNDETERMINED ORIGIN, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING AN ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE OIL COVERED WINDSHEILD, WHICH HINDERED THE PILOT IN MAINTAINING OUTSIDE VISUAL REFERENCES DURING A LOW ALTITUDE MANEUVER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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