Rockwell 112-TC accident near St Mary'S, West Virginia, August 9, 1992
On August 9, 1992 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Rockwell 112-TC, registered N4531W, was destroyed in an accident near St Mary'S, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FATIGUE CRACKING FRACTURE OF THE PROPELLER HUB, RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING, AND COLLISION WITH A HOUSE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1992 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- St Mary'S, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112-TC
- Registration
- N4531W · no longer on the register · serial 13040
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID, 'WHILE CRUSING AT 9500 FEET...THERE WAS A 'BOOM'...I REALIZED...THE ENGINE JUST BLEW...' DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A HOUSE. EXAMINATION OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THERE HAD BEEN TWO PROPELLER STRIKES WITH THIS AIRPLANE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT WHICH WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THE PROPELLER BLADE HUB ASSEMBLY WAS EXAMINED BY THE NTSB METALLURGIST. IN HIS REPORT HE STATED: 'THE HUB FAILED AS A RESULT OF FATIGUE CRACKING....THE ORIGIN OF THE FATIGUE WAS NOT LOCATED ON A PART OF THE HUB THAT WAS RECOVERED. DAMAGE TO THE PRELOAD PLATE SHELF...INDICATED THAT THE HUB HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED A BLADE STRIKE....THE GROUND STRIKE COULD HAVE HAD AN AFFECT ON THE FAILURE OF THE HUB, BUT WITHOUT THE ORIGIN AREA FOR EXAMINATION OTHER...CAUSES...CANNOT BE RULED OUT.'
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: 1,266 hours in all; 277 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,133 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,388 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1992; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TO-360-C1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY
- Destination: M24 Clarksville MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.