Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Claremore, Oklahoma, May 8, 1999
On May 8, 1999 at about 1:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N4546J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Claremore, Oklahoma (Claremore Municipal airport). 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 fatigue fracture of the propeller bolts resulting from the improper installation of the propeller assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1999 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Claremore, Oklahoma · Claremore Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N4546J · registry record · serial AA5B-1283
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in level cruise flight, the propeller separated from the airplane. The pilot made a forced landing at the Claremore Municipal Airport. During the approach, the airplane porpoised, so the pilot elected to touch down in a grassy area between the runway and ramp area. During landing, the nose gear collapsed and the nose wheel separated from the airplane. Examination of the propeller attaching bolts revealed that they failed in fatigue. Examination of the aft spinner bulkhead revealed that crescent shaped arcs had been punched out, elongating the bulkhead's bolt holes. According to FAA service difficulty reports and reports from mechanics, the potential exists for the aft spinner bulkhead to slide off of the crankshaft flange bushings and rest on the propeller bolts during installation. The mechanic will then torque the propeller bolts with the aft spinner bulkhead pinched between the propeller spacer and the bushings. Over time the pinched sections of aft spinner bulkhead fail, leaving the propeller loose.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,791 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 1998; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Ketchum OK at 1:15 pm
- Destination: 2DT Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from TUL, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N4546J 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.