Amateur-built QUICKIE accident near Middletown, Rhode Island, February 28, 1988
On February 28, 1988 at about 3:33 pm local time, a amateur-built QUICKIE, registered N3774X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middletown, Rhode Island (Newport State 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 WORN PROPELLER TRANSMISSION (REDUCTION GEAR ASSEMBLY), WHICH FAILED TO TRANSMIT POWER TO THE PROPELLER AT A CRITICAL POINT IN THE GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1988 · about 3:33 pm local time
- Place
- Middletown, Rhode Island · Newport State
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUICKIE
- Registration
- N3774X · no longer on the register · serial QA-213
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT INITIATED A GO-AROUND BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC ON THE RUNWAY IN FRONT OF HIM. HE STATED THAT HE 'PUSHED THE THROTTLE FORWARD TO GO-AROUND. MY ENGINE WENT INTO A HIGH REV AND THE POWER WAS NOT TRANSMITTED TO THE PROPELLER.' THE PILOT PROCEEDED WITH THE LANDING, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE FROM THE ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND. THE AIRSPEED DECREASED, THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE AND TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON THE RUNWAY. AN INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE PROPELLER TRANSMISSION (REDUCTION DRIVE ASSEMBLY) FAILED DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE CLUTCH MECHANISM. THE TRANSMISSION HAD ACCUMULATED 169 HOURS IN SERVICE SINCE IT WAS INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED OVERHAUL AT 1000 HOURS TOTAL TIME.
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: 692 hours in all; 390 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 390 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 1988; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 545 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kawasaki TB-340A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2B4 at 3:15 pm
- Destination: 2B4
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.