Amateur-built LANCAIR IV-P accident near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, March 15, 2010
On March 15, 2010 at about 10:10 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR IV-P, registered N9JE, suffered minor damage in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. It was a personal 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
A loss of engine power due to the failure of the crankshaft as a result of a previous propeller strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2010 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hilton Head Island, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR IV-P
- Registration
- N9JE · no longer on the register · serial LIV-439
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
**This report was modified on 8/8/13. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.** The pilot stated that while in cruise flight he observed the instrument panel begin to vibrate heavily and oil begin to cover the wind screen before hearing a loud "bang." The engine then lost power as oil continued to obscure the wind screen. The pilot had no forward visibility and could not maintain the airplane's altitude. He elected to make an emergency landing on a nearby beach and during the landing the airplane struck and killed a pedestrian. Examination of the airplane revealed that the propeller assembly separated from the crankshaft and was missing. The propeller assembly and propeller flange were not recovered. An examination by the NTSB Materials Laboratory of the crankshaft revealed that the aft face of the fracture contained crack arrest marks. The fracture of the crankshaft was caused by multiple-origin fatigue cracks that emanated at the aft relief radius for the propeller flange. The records for this engine and airplane do not show an entry of a propeller strike. However, multiple-origin fatigue cracks that extend nearly 50% around the circumference of the aft relief radius for the propeller flange suggest that the propeller had struck an object prior to fracture of the crankshaft. In the absence of material anomalies, the fatigue cracking appears likely to have been caused by external impact stress, such as a propeller strike.
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
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- AC/prop/rotor contact w person during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,275 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,168 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 23, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 99 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 15, 2010; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor TSIO-550-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: PVG Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from HXD, 3 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.
Other NTSB records under N9JE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.