Amateur-built PIETENPOL accident near Collins, Ohio, July 26, 1999
On July 26, 1999 at about 12:30 pm local time, a amateur-built PIETENPOL, registered N6286A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Collins, Ohio. 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
In-flight separation of the propeller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1999 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Collins, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PIETENPOL
- Registration
- N6286A · registry record · serial MJT-01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was in cruise flight approximately 2,000 feet mean sea level. The engine lost all power, and the pilot made a forced landing to a soybean field. The pilot stated that examination of the wreckage revealed four bolts, which secured the propeller, were sheared. The respective four nuts and propeller were not recovered. The pilot believed that one bolt sheared, and a subsequent vibration caused the remaining bolts to shear. On this particular airplane, the propeller acted as a flywheel. The absence of a flywheel would cause the engine to stop.
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: 760 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 730 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 56 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 1998; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ford MODEL A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Valley City OH at 12:00 pm
- Destination: 1G0 Bowling Green OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from CLE, 25 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.