N91449

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 15, 2020, about 1340 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-14 airplane, N91449, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Susanville Municipal Airport (SVE), Susanville, California. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to a friend of the pilot who also witnessed the accident, he, the pilot, and the pilot-rated passenger planned to fly over a landmark in the Nevada desert and then stay overnight in a campground north of SVE. The friend was in his own airplane, while the pilot and passenger were in the accident airplane, which was owned by the accident pilot. They departed Redding Municipal Airport (RDD), Redding, California about 0930 and flew east, making an intermediate stop at SVE. The friend landed on the airport’s only asphalt runway and the accident pilot landed on the dirt runway. After lunch they returned to the airport and boarded their airplanes. The accident airplane’s takeoff run was not observed. While the witness was taxiing to the asphalt runway, he witnessed the accident airplane about 350 ft above ground level about midfield in a steep left bank angle. The airplane immediately transitioned into a nose down pitch attitude and descended rapidly toward the ground. The friend, a certified flight instructor, stated that the sequence resembled an aerodynamic stall/spin.

PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot’s flight logbook was not recovered, but according to a friend, the pilot had likely accrued about 200 hours in the accident airplane make and model at the time of the accident. The passenger was a certified flight instructor with most of her flight experience having been accumulated in Cessna 172 airplanes and rotorcraft. Her flight time in the accident airplane was unknown, but according to friends, her time may have been limited as the accident pilot preferred to fly the airplane.

According to the friend who witnessed the accident, he did not observe any unusual behavior by the pilot or passenger on the day of the accident.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONAccording to the accident pilot’s airframe and powerplant mechanic, the pilot frequently “tinkered” with the airplane. The mechanic stated that he provided owner-assisted inspections to the accident pilot, during which time the pilot would typically perform the maintenance himself and the mechanic would subsequently inspect his work and make a logbook endorsement. According to the mechanic, the pilot had sometimes performed maintenance on his airplane without an endorsement from a mechanic. The accident pilot was not a certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic nor was he employed as an aircraft technician.

According to a friend, after the engine was overhauled and installed on the airplane, the accident pilot found that it would reach 3,000 rpm at full throttle, when the engine was rated at 2,700 rpm. To reduce the rpm and noise at takeoff, the pilot installed a new propeller, but the friend could not recall who completed the installation. It is unknown if he consulted a mechanic about the excessively high engine rpm or the propeller installation. The engine total time and time since overhaul could not be determined from the maintenance records.

The fixed-pitch, experimental category propeller was manufactured by Catto Propellers and was constructed of glass and carbon composite. According to the manufacturer’s data plate on the propeller hub, the propeller diameter was 84 inches, and the pitch was 42.5° for a “Cub Type.” In the third line, the data plate stated “Engn: ECI-340 170+hp Design RPM 2750.” According to the propeller manufacturer, this Catto propeller was designed for an experimental Titan 340, 170 hp engine rated at 2,750 rpm. The accident airplane was equipped with a Lycoming Engines O-320-A2B “C” series, 150 hp engine rated at 2,700 rpm. Airworthiness records showed that a McCauley 1A175-GM824 fixed pitch propeller was installed on July 17, 2014, and logbook records did not indicate that another propeller had been installed after the 2014 installation. According to the pilots’ friends, they believe the pilot had borrowed the Catto propeller from another local aircraft owner sometime after the engine overhaul. The investigation could not determine who installed the propeller or how many times the pilot had flown the accident airplane after the propeller was installed.

Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook - Powerplant Volume 2 (FAA-H-8083-32A), Chapter 7, Propellers states:

For any single revolution of the propeller, the amount of air displaced (moved) depends on the blade angle, which determines the quantity or amount of mass of air the propeller moves…If the blade angle is increased, more load is placed on the engine, tending to slow it down unless more power is applied.”

Fixed-pitch and ground-adjustable propellers are designed for best efficiency at one rotation and forward speed…they are designed to fit a given airplane and engine combination. A propeller may be used that provides the maximum propeller efficiency or takeoff, climb, cruising, or high speeds. Any change in these conditions results lowering the efficiency of both the propeller and the engine.

Takeoff Performance Information

The excerpt below from the owner’s operating manual show the procedures for TAKE-OFF, CLIMB, AND STALLS.

The stabilizer adjustment should be set approximately at the neutral position for take-off, depending on loading of the aircraft. Fuel selector should be on left tank, flaps down one-third or two-thirds if desired. After climbing airspeed has been reached, flaps should be retracted to achieve maximum rate of climb.

According to the fixed based operator attendant who refueled the accident airplane, he deposited 25 gallons of 100 low lead aviation grade gasoline in the left tank and no fuel in the right tank as instructed by the pilot.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe calculated density altitude at SVE was about 7,965 ft at the time of the accident.

AIRPORT INFORMATIONAccording to the accident pilot’s airframe and powerplant mechanic, the pilot frequently “tinkered” with the airplane. The mechanic stated that he provided owner-assisted inspections to the accident pilot, during which time the pilot would typically perform the maintenance himself and the mechanic would subsequently inspect his work and make a logbook endorsement. According to the mechanic, the pilot had sometimes performed maintenance on his airplane without an endorsement from a mechanic. The accident pilot was not a certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic nor was he employed as an aircraft technician.

According to a friend, after the engine was overhauled and installed on the airplane, the accident pilot found that it would reach 3,000 rpm at full throttle, when the engine was rated at 2,700 rpm. To reduce the rpm and noise at takeoff, the pilot installed a new propeller, but the friend could not recall who completed the installation. It is unknown if he consulted a mechanic about the excessively high engine rpm or the propeller installation. The engine total time and time since overhaul could not be determined from the maintenance records.

The fixed-pitch, experimental category propeller was manufactured by Catto Propellers and was constructed of glass and carbon composite. According to the manufacturer’s data plate on the propeller hub, the propeller diameter was 84 inches, and the pitch was 42.5° for a “Cub Type.” In the third line, the data plate stated “Engn: ECI-340 170+hp Design RPM 2750.” According to the propeller manufacturer, this Catto propeller was designed for an experimental Titan 340, 170 hp engine rated at 2,750 rpm. The accident airplane was equipped with a Lycoming Engines O-320-A2B “C” series, 150 hp engine rated at 2,700 rpm. Airworthiness records showed that a McCauley 1A175-GM824 fixed pitch propeller was installed on July 17, 2014, and logbook records did not indicate that another propeller had been installed after the 2014 installation. According to the pilots’ friends, they believe the pilot had borrowed the Catto propeller from another local aircraft owner sometime after the engine overhaul. The investigation could not determine who installed the propeller or how many times the pilot had flown the accident airplane after the propeller was installed.

Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook - Powerplant Volume 2 (FAA-H-8083-32A), Chapter 7, Propellers states:

For any single revolution of the propeller, the amount of air displaced (moved) depends on the blade angle, which determines the quantity or amount of mass of air the propeller moves…If the blade angle is increased, more load is placed on the engine, tending to slow it down unless more power is applied.”

Fixed-pitch and ground-adjustable propellers are designed for best efficiency at one rotation and forward speed…they are designed to fit a given airplane and engine combination. A propeller may be used that provides the maximum propeller efficiency or takeoff, climb, cruising, or high speeds. Any change in these conditions results lowering the efficiency of both the propeller and the engine.

Takeoff Performance Information

The excerpt below from the owner’s operating manual show the procedures for TAKE-OFF, CLIMB, AND STALLS.

The stabilizer adjustment should be set approximately at the neutral position for take-off, depending on loading of the aircraft. Fuel selector should be on left tank, flaps down one-third or two-thirds if desired. After climbing airspeed has been reached, flaps should be retracted to achieve maximum rate of climb.

According to the fixed based operator attendant who refueled the accident airplane, he deposited 25 gallons of 100 low lead aviation grade gasoline in the left tank and no fuel in the right tank as instructed by the pilot.

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