Amateur-built DHC-94 Moth Minor accident near Farmington, Pennsylvania, September 2, 2001
On September 2, 2001 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-94 Moth Minor, registered N9403, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, Pennsylvania. 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 in-flight separation of a propeller blade, which resulted in a forced landing to unsuitable terrain. A factor related to the accident was the plowed field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2001 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-94 Moth Minor
- Registration
- N9403 · registry record · serial 9403
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the decent from cruise altitude, the pilot heard a loud bang, and the airplane began to shutter violently. The pilot shut down the engine and slowed the airplane to stop the propeller from windmilling. A forced landing was then made to an up-sloping field. After the airplane touched down in the field, it encountered 1-foot high windrows, collapsing the main landing gear. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that about 22 inches of one of the wooden propeller blades was missing. The inspector observed that the remaining portions of the propeller were painted with black paint, and that the wood was dry and brittle. Dark spots were also visible in the areas of the separation.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,650 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 2,320 as pilot in command; 1,530 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 23, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 690 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 2001; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Gypsy Minor Minor Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DPA Chicago IL at 11:00 am
- Destination: 2G3 Connellsville PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from LBE, 13 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC01LA221.