Amateur-built GLASTAR accident near Caldwell, Idaho, March 22, 2012
On March 22, 2012 at about 4:45 pm local time, a amateur-built GLASTAR, registered N617G, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Caldwell, Idaho (Caldwell Industrial 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 failure of a propeller blade at the hub due to fatigue cracking.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2012 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, Idaho · Caldwell Industrial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASTAR
- Registration
- N617G · registry record · serial 5752
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot/owner of the experimental, amateur-built airplane reported that, the day before the accident flight, the airplane experienced a vibration during flight. After landing, he attempted to determine the cause of the vibration without success. The next day, he conducted the accident flight to attempt to duplicate the vibration. Shortly after takeoff, one of the propeller blades separated. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing. The engine mounts were substantially damaged due to the unbalanced condition at the hub caused by the separated blade. The separated propeller blade was recovered, and postaccident examination of the propeller blade revealed that it had failed at the hub due to extensive fatigue cracking.
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
What happened, in order
- Part(s) separation from AC during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller assembly › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller hub section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 7, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 217 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 15, 2011; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,960 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID at 4:30 pm
- Destination: EUL Caldwell ID
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 12, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from EUL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N617G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.