History of Flight
On 12 March 2017 at 1015Z, a pilot and passenger departed Margate Aerodrome (FAMG) on a private flight to Light Flight Cato Ridge. Twelve minutes into the flight, the aircraft began losing airspeed. The pilot switched on the fuel pump but observed no change. After reducing power to idle, he noticed the propeller had separated. The aircraft was approximately 1800 feet above ground level. The pilot established a steady glide toward a road crossing a sugar cane field.
During landing, the right main wheel entered a furrow and broke off. The aircraft veered right and struck an embankment. The nose gear collapsed, and the aircraft came to rest.
Damage and Injuries
The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear, right main gear, engine cowl, engine mounts, rudder pedals, and control cables. The pilot sustained a cut knee, and the passenger a cut thumb. Both were classified as minor injuries.
Investigation Findings
The investigation revealed that the propeller separated in flight due to failure of the flange bolts. The engine, with 383.8 hours total time, had not reached its overhaul limit, so the manufacturer's service bulletin (SB JEM0001-6) recommending installation of dowel pins was not yet mandatory. No dowel pins were installed, and the bolts bore the full shear load, causing them to fail. The manufacturer, Jabiru, reviewed the service bulletin, and the aircraft manufacturer, Shadow Lite CC, planned to issue a service letter strongly recommending the upgrade.
Probable Cause
The probable cause was an unsuccessful force landing following the separation of the propeller from the engine due to propeller attachment bolts failure.