Piper PA-28-180 accident near Paducah, Texas, April 7, 2008
On April 7, 2008 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5300L, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Paducah, Texas (None airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Fatigue failure and separation of the propeller during cruise flight. Contributing to the accident was the owner's failure to comply with a long standing Airworthiness Directive.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2008 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Paducah, Texas · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5300L · registry record · serial 28-4602
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot/owner and the passenger were on a cross country flight at an altitude of 6,500 feet when a section of propeller blade broke off and the airplane began to shake violently. The pilot reduced power, slowed the airplane and stalled the propeller, which reduced the vibrations. He then declared an emergency and made a forced landing to a field. Examination of the airplane revealed that approximately 44-inches of one of the Sensenich fixed-pitch (all metal) propeller blades had separated and was not recovered. The other blade was intact. The top and bottom engine mounts on the right side (as viewed from the cockpit) were severed and the engine was displaced down and to the right. A materials examination of the propeller's fractured surface revealed fatigue cracking through approximately 85 percent of the blade and corrosion pitting at the initiation point of the failure. The remaining portion of the fracture was more jagged, had a matte appearance, and was oriented at a slant angle, which was indicative of a final overstress fracture region. A review of Sensenich's records revealed that in April 1991, this propeller (which was original to the airplane) was sent to Sensenich to be reworked; however, it was rejected due to the fact that it was "out of material chord at the tip." The propeller was returned, and at some point was placed back on the airplane. However, there was no logged entry in the airframe logbook that indicated when this was accomplished or by whom. On June 13, 1996, the FAA issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 69-09-03, Revision 3, titled, Sensenich Propeller Manufacturing Company Incorporated models M76EMM, M76EMMS, 76EM8, and 76EM8S metal propellers. The directive was issued, "To prevent propeller blade tip fatigue failure, which can result in loss of control of the aircraft..." As a result, this particular propeller was to be removed, inspected, and reworked in accordance with Senseinich Propeller Service Bulletin (SB) number R-14A, dated July 28, 1995. Those propellers that had been inspected in accordance to the Service Bulletin and found satisfactory were to be marked with the suffix letter "K." Examination of the accident propeller revealed there was no "K" marking. In addition, a review of the logbooks revealed that the AD had not been complied with as required per Federal Aviation Regulations.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller blade section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 257 hours in all; 219 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 195 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,016.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2008; 69.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEP Stephenville TX at 7:00 pm
- Destination: DUX Dumas TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from CDS, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.