Piper PA-20-180 N6028D

Summary

On 19 September 1998 at about 19:14 local time, a Piper PA-20-180 registered N6028D was involved in an accident near Thornton, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 September 1998 at 19:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Thornton, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.8591, -104.9592

Aircraft

Piper PA-20-180

Registration

N6028D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aurora → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98FA392

1 person was seriously injured.

The separation of a propeller blade due to corrosion initiated fatigue, followed by the separation of several of the engine's mounts, and the subsequent inability of the pilot to control the aircraft. A contributing factor was the trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight at 1,200 feet agl, on a banner tow flight, 21.6 inches of one of the two bladed 38-inch propeller blades separated from the aircraft. The engine separated from three of the four engine mounts and swung around against the right side of the aircraft. The remaining propeller blade penetrated the cockpit but did not strike the pilot. The aircraft became uncontrollable and impacted in a field after striking trees in the back yard of a home. The propeller blade failed due to fatigue from corrosion pitting. The pilot received serious injuries.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.