Pilot Debrief

ROVEY JASON H RV-8 near Wickenburg, AZ — 2013-11-02

Final reportWPR14LA046
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Date
2013-11-02
Location
Wickenburg, AZ, USA
Airport
E25
Aircraft
ROVEY JASON H RV-8
Registration
N391V
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The fatigue failure of a propeller pitch change pin due to excessive shot peening of the pin’s surface during the manufacturing process.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, he felt a sustained vibration, which he thought was from the engine or propeller, and that the airplane then started to slow down. The pilot made a forced landing to the desert, and the airplane came to rest on its nose, which caused substantial damage to the airplane. A postaccident engine run and subsequent engine examination revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller examination revealed that one of the propeller pitch change pins had broken. The pin's fracture would have resulted in the sustained vibration and loss of speed reported by the pilot. A metallurgical examination of the pin revealed that it had failed due to a fatigue crack that had progressed through about 70 percent of the pin. The fatigue crack initiated at dimples that had a depth and width consistent with excessive shot peening, which likely occurred during the manufacturing process.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a different landing area earlier.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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