AUSTIN, NV, USA
N111GC
CRAWFORD-GORDON THORP T-18
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT MADE AN UNSCHEDULED LANDING AT AN AIRPORT TO CHECK ON A NOISE. SHORTLY AFTER LANDING, THE FLIGHT CONTINUED. RADAR RETURNS INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT ON A NORTHERLY HEADING AND CLIMBED TO 11,900 FEET THEN BEGAN TO DESCEND, TURNING WESTERLY AWAY FROM RISING TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH HILLY TERRAIN APRX 14 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. ONE PROPELLER BLADE HAD SEPARATED AND WAS NOT LOCATED. A METALLURGICAL TEST REVEALED THAT THE BREAK WAS DUE TO HIGH CYCLE BENDING STRESSES INDUCED BY RESONANT VIBRATION. RESEARCH OF THE AIRPLANE'S HISTORY REVEALED THAT ANOTHER ENGINE (DIFFERENT FROM WHICH THE AIRCRAFT WAS ORIGINALLY CERTIFICATED) HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE AND THAT THE PROPELLER (ORIGINAL FROM THE FIRST ENGINE) AT SOME TIME HAD BEEN CUT AND REPITCHED.
AN IMPROPER MAJOR ALTERATION PERFORMED BY THE PILOT. AS A RESULT OF THIS MODIFICATION, THE PROPELLER FAILED IN FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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