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NYC91LA153

1991-06-01 · WESTERLY, Rhode Island, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport WST

Current FAA registration · N3227A

Make / Model
CESSNA 310R
Year of manufacture
1980 · 11 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES (285 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date
19800422
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3790C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE RIGHT PROPELLER WHICH RESULTED IN THREAD FAILURE IN THE PROPELLER HUB AND SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER IN FLIGHT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RIGHT PROPELLER STRIKING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR CAUSING ITS SEPARATION FROM THE AIRPLANE AS THE PROPELLER DEPARTED THE AIRPLANE.

Factual narrative

THE CESSNA 310 WAS ON FINAL APPROACH WHEN THE PILOT FELT A BUFFET AND LOST POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE MADE A MISSED APPROACH AND DIVERTED TO A VFR AIRPORT. HE LANDED WITH THE RIGHT PROPELLER AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR MISSING FROM THE AIRPLANE, WHCIH WERE NEVER RECOVERED. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE THREADS OF THE PROPELLER MOUNTING BOLTS CONTAINED THE THREADS FROM THE PROPELLER HUB. THIS IS INDICATIVE OF THE PROPELLER HUB THREADS HAVING BEEN OVER TORQUED AT SOME TIME IN THEIR LIFE. ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE PROPELLER HAD LAST BEEN INSTALLED 499 HOURS PRIOR TO PROPELLER SEPARATION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN PLACED IN A PROGRESSIVE INSPECTION PROGRAM WITH 50 HOUR INTERVALS FOR A 200 HOUR CYCLE. THE LOG BOOKS INDICATE THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN 65 HOURS SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_NYC91LA153.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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