Amateur-built Titan T-51 accident near Geneva, Ohio, April 3, 2008
On April 3, 2008 at about 8:40 pm local time, a amateur-built Titan T-51, registered N614TB, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Geneva, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the propeller pitch control mechanism during approach. Contributing to the accident were the inability of the pilot to maintain airspeed and altitude, and the unsuitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2008 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Geneva, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Titan T-51
- Registration
- N614TB · no longer on the register · serial M05XXXSOHK0087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amateur-built airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing during landing approach. The pilot reported that as he circled the airport, the engine speed went to 6,000 RPM. He stated that he pulled the power back, lowered the landing gear and increased the propeller pitch. He said that the airplane began to stall and he could not maintain altitude. He executed a forced landing to a wetland. The right wing struck the water and broke off spinning the airplane around. Subsequent examination of the controllable pitch propeller revealed that a jack screw pin had sheared allowing the prop to go to a fine pitch setting. One of the blade pitch stops also broke resulting in the blade moving into a reverse pitch position.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › (general) › Failure
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Attain/maintain not possible
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,626 hours in all; 350 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25 hours
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Suzuki H27A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HZY Ashtabula OH
- Destination: 7D9 Gevena OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.