According to the pilot, he taxied the ICON A5 downwind on the water near Sky Harbor Airport (KDYT), in Duluth, Minnesota, for takeoff. When facing into the wind, he applied full power and about five seconds later, heard a “loud bang.”
He shut down the engine, climbed out, looked back, and saw that all three propeller blades were missing. At this point, the airplane started to sink. He and his passenger donned life jackets and evacuated the airplane.
Substantial damage was noted to the airplane’s fuselage, including holes in the hull.
Several days later, the pilot recalled that before he taxied out, they washed the airplane. During the wash, he had placed a portable speaker on the top of the airplane to listen to some music while they worked. He did not recall putting the speaker away before departure.
“That the speaker must have rolled over the engine compartment and into the propellers,” he told investigators.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board Investigator In Charge, the pilot stated that he has not since located the speaker.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to remove an object from the airplane’s exterior, which impacted the propeller blades when he applied full power, causing them to fracture and damage the airplane.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This June 2020 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
I was drove a lot to get to work, and had a very large driving territory; have you ever driven around and noticed all of the shoes, travel mugs, notebooks, purses, and cell phones? I have.
Usually, it is the women who lose the most, in my experience. They dress for the gym in the morning, and have the mug and purse in one hand, gym bag, heels and notebook in the other. They all go on the roof as she gets in.
Once, while driving along, I saw a woman in the SUV next to me. There were a pair of strappy black heels on the roof of he car, so I said, “I love your shoes.” She gave me a dirty look like I had three heads, and then I pointed up above *her* head.
That portable speaker was worth about $10,000.00…
This commentary does not make sense because if he was flying
the prop wash would have pushed the speakers to the back
not to the prop (MISSING something)
The Icon A5 has a ‘pusher propeller’ at the rear of the fuselage .
So, ‘stuff’ on top of the cabin will be blown back into the prop and engine.
The Icon A5 is a light sport amphib with the prop in the back
That’s a bummer. It shows how something that’s simple to forget can cause significant outcomes.
These are posted to help very one learn and improve. The commenters seem to think it’s a free for all to bash the pilot. Learn from this event, and the commenters lack of maturity. Try to do better then both.
Preflight???? A long long time ago, my first IP taught me to start the preflight as I approached the plane. LOOK at the airplane, don’t just admire it. Is there a flat tire? Are the oleos uniform? Wheel pants look out of whack? Is there anything that just feels out of place?
Quite a few years back where I used to live, a lady was getting into her car and put her infant, in an infant carrier seat, on top of the car. She drove off with the infant in the seat still on top of the car, which eventually slid off on one of the busiest 4-lane streets in the city. Luckily the infant landed face up unharmed (except for extreme emotional stress) and the motorists stopped. Just shows how easy it is for anyone to make an unimaginable mistake.
What he did sure sounded stupid to me…then I started remembering some of the stupid stuff I have done since I got my license…50 years ago.
Wow !
I have been reading accident reports since before I learned to fly. After a few years I noticed I was reading the same accident descriptions repeated by new offenders.
This is the first time I have read a new way to screw the pooch in more than 10 years.
😂😂😂😂
What a preflight check! Bet he never even checked for fuel, either!
Really..! you need to listen to music while washing your aircraft in a lake ?
Most of us would listen to the ctaf or awos ! [ sarc ].
So a new ‘stupid pilot trick’. Put stuff on the aircraft and then try to fly when the ‘stuff hits the fan’….in actuality , it did.
So he needs a new prop and probably an engine teardown, besides patching holes in the hull.
Then in the 6120, he doesn’t list his certs or flight hours….
It is listed as Private Pilot; Sport Pilot – SEL, SES. No hours listed.