Bushby Aircraft Mustang M-11 accident near Pahrump, Nevada, July 5, 2002
On July 5, 2002 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Bushby Aircraft Mustang M-11, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N30430, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pahrump, Nevada (Calvada Meadows Airport). 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
the failure and separation of a propeller blade for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2002 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pahrump, Nevada · Calvada Meadows Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bushby Aircraft Mustang M-11, amateur-built
- Registration
- N30430 · registry record · serial 1311
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental airplane experienced a propeller blade failure and separation during cruise flight, resulting in airframe damage due to the severity of the vibrations from the out of balance propeller. While approaching the proximity of the airport, the pilot lowered the nose, in an effort to begin a gradual decent. About 9,500 mean sea level, the engine began to violently shake. He set the throttle to idle, the mixture in the off position, turned off the master switch, and put the fuel selector in the "off" position. He looked for a place to land and spotted a dry lake below. He configured the airplane in a slip and landed successfully. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that 21 inches of a propeller blade tip had separated from the propeller body. The pilot thought that the consequential imbalance resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. The engine was left hanging by a 3/8-inch bolt. The propeller was a fixed pitch, aluminum two-bladed McCauley, part number 1A170/7074. The propeller had undergone a propeller strike prior to the accident, where it was shortened from 76 inches to 70 inches, and repitched.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 910 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 910 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 24, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 10, 2001; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-02B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APV Apple Valley CA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: NV74 Pahrump NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from KLAS, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.