History of Flight
On November 10, 2017, about 1520 eastern standard time, a Socata TB200, registration N207GT, operated by Tipton Tampico LLC, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Annapolis, Maryland. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Tipton Airport (FME), Fort Meade, Maryland, about 1430.
The pilot was conducting a sightseeing flight with his two children around the eastern shore of Maryland. About 45 minutes after departure, at an altitude of 1,500 ft and about 25 miles southeast of FME, the pilot felt a very light and subtle vibration from the engine. Shortly thereafter, propeller rpm increased uncommanded to 2,700 rpm and remained pegged at the redline. The pilot followed the emergency checklist and reduced engine power to remain below redline rpm, but it had little effect.
The airplane was 11 miles southeast of FME when the engine vibration increased and the cockpit started filling with smoke. The pilot diverted to Lee Airport (ANP) in Annapolis, Maryland. He reported that the engine gauges were all indicating green during this time, but once the situation deteriorated, he focused on flying the airplane and did not recall reading the gauges again.
Immediately after turning south toward ANP at about 1,400 feet, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot realized the airplane could not reach the airport and made a forced landing on a road.
Impact and Damage
The airplane struck a light pole, spun around, and impacted a guardrail before coming to rest. The impact sheared off the left wing and the horizontal stabilator. The engine remained attached to the fuselage but separated from the top engine mounts and came to rest in a vertical, nose-down position.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the propeller governor linkage was not connected to the propeller governor. The bolt and cotter key needed to secure the linkage to the propeller governor were missing. Further examination revealed that the fuel filter contained some debris but was not obstructed. No other mechanical deficiencies were found with the fuel system or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Maintenance History
A review of the engine maintenance logbook revealed that five months before the accident, on June 24, 2017, the propeller assembly was removed and reinstalled for a starter ring gear, alternator belt, and crankshaft seal replacement. The engine's last annual inspection was conducted on October 24, 2017, at a total time of 1,496.53 hours. During that inspection, no anomalies were identified and logged. The airplane and engine accrued about 13 hours since the annual inspection at the time of the accident.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, instrument airplane, and powered lift, instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on June 13, 2017. The pilot reported 730 total hours of flight experience, with 13 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
Weather Conditions
The weather conditions reported at FME, 12 miles northeast of the accident site, at 1524, included wind from 350° at 12 knots gusting to 17 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 3°C, dew point -9°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.38 inches of mercury.