On January 14, 2007, a Cessna 177 (registration N29888) was involved in an aviation accident near Carrabelle, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Non-detected fatigue crack in the propeller blade. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During cruise, an 18-inch section of a propeller blade separated from a fatigue crack. The pilot diverted to the nearest airport but landed in trees due to insufficient altitude after finding runway lights out.
Event Summary
While in cruise flight, an 18-inch section of one propeller blade separated from the aircraft. The separation occurred as a result of a fatigue crack that had not been detected during previous inspections. The pilot responded by navigating toward the nearest airport using the onboard GPS. Upon arrival, however, the airport's beacon and runway lights were out of service, preventing a normal approach. The pilot continued visually and, upon spotting the airport, flew toward the approach end of the runway. By that time, the aircraft had insufficient altitude to reach the runway threshold, and the pilot executed a landing in the tops of trees approximately 100 yards short of the runway. The pilot subsequently exited the airplane.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the propeller assembly revealed blisters near the fatigue origin point. These blisters were consistent with the onset of corrosion. The propeller had been inspected 3 months and 1 day before the incident, and the airplane had accumulated 31.57 hours of operation at the time of the failure.
Probable cause
Non-detected fatigue crack in the propeller blade.