Piper PA-28-181 accident near Baker, California, April 6, 2003
On April 6, 2003 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8465R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baker, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the separation of a propeller blade tip due to fatigue cracking that resulted from improper maintenance repair procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2003 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Baker, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8465R · no longer on the register · serial 28-8216031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with obstacles during a forced landing in desert terrain. While in cruise flight, a portion of the propeller blade separated and the airplane's engine began to violently vibrate. The pilot executed a forced landing and the airplane collided with cactus plants prior to touch down. The airplane hit hard and the landing gear separated. The Safety Board's Materials Laboratory examined the remainder of the propeller blade, which revealed fatigue cracking. At the origin of the crack was a corrosion pit. High magnification optical examinations revealed that numerous small shallow corrosion concentration areas were imbedded on both the camber and flat surfaces, in indication that the blade had not been properly dressed. Paint and conversion coatings covered many of the pits and corrosion areas. The propeller was overhauled March 25, 2002, and had accumulated about 700 hours of total time since the overhaul, Logbook entries recorded that maintenance personnel removed propeller nicks on October 30, 2002. FAA Advisory Circular 43.13-1A, Section 3 "Repair of Metal propellers," paragraph 585(a) discusses procedures applied to the repair of aluminum propellers. Specifically, this reference addresses rounding out of nicks, scars, cuts, etc. by advising to "...exercise care to remove the deepest point of the injury..."
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 194 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 194 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,636 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 16, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: POC La Verne CA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 0L7 Jean NV
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from DAG, 40 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.