Luhnau BD-5B N62765

Summary

On 22 October 1999 at about 22:07 local time, a Luhnau BD-5B registered N62765 was involved in an accident near Boulder City, Nevada, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 October 1999 at 22:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Boulder City, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Boulder City Muni (61B)

Coordinates

35.9892, -114.8108

Aircraft

Luhnau BD-5B

Registration

N62765

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00LA023

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to secure an electrical wire terminal in the propeller pitch control circuit following a maintenance adjustment, which resulted in the propeller malfunctioning and going to a flat pitch. The flat pitch of the propeller produced a high drag which precluded the aircraft from maintaining flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the amateur-built airplane took off and entered the traffic pattern. A witness heard the pilot announce his position in the pattern. About 10 seconds later, while the airplane was maintaining a level flight cruise attitude, the airplane began descending, and it turned toward the runway. The witness further reported that the airplane's descent rate increased and the pilot broadcast, "I've got a problem." The airplane appeared to descend at a 30- to 40-degree nose down angle. It impacted a berm about 1 mile short of the landing threshold. This was the first flight following the pilot's installation of the new propeller assembly. Prior to taking off, a witness observed the pilot make a wiring change to the propeller's pitch control electric drive motor. The change was intended to reduce the time necessary to vary the pitch through its full range of travel from 15 to between 7 and 8 seconds. The on-scene examination of the assembly revealed that the wire was disconnected, and the blade pitch was found about the 2-degree (flat blade) position, which would produce considerable drag in flight. No internal malfunctions to the propeller assembly were noted. The pilot, a retired airline captain, was not the builder of the airplane. He did not possess either a repairman or a FAA Airframe & Powerplant certificate.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.