On September 20, 1996, a Beech A23 (registration N8879M) operated by Dean L. Liken was involved in an aviation accident near Tarboro, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The propeller blade failed from fatigue originating from a single corrosion pit on the camber side of the blade. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During cruise, half of a propeller blade separated from the airplane, causing substantial damage. The aircraft landed uneventfully. Metallurgical examination revealed fatigue failure originating from a corrosion pit on the blade's camber side.
Incident Overview
Approximately half of one propeller blade separated from the airplane during cruise flight. The separation resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. The flight crew executed an uneventful landing at a nearby airport.
Propeller Blade Examination
Metallurgical examination of the failed propeller blade determined that the blade had fractured due to fatigue. The fatigue crack initiated from a single corrosion pit located on the camber side of the blade. Additional corrosion pits were observed on the camber side of the remaining portion of the blade.
Maintenance History
The airplane's maintenance logs contained no record that the propeller had been reconditioned since its installation. The propeller manufacturer recommended that the propeller be reconditioned after each 1,000 hours of operation.
Propeller and Aircraft Details
The propeller was manufactured in September 1963 and sold to Beech Aircraft Corporation in August 1964. The airplane was manufactured in December 1964 and had accumulated 1,851 flight hours at the time of the incident.
Probable cause
The propeller blade failed from fatigue originating from a single corrosion pit on the camber side of the blade.