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20020620017039A

Accident · No damage
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FAA accident report · Beech V35A · Cottonwood, AZ · June 20, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 20, 2002 · 06:35 local
Place
Cottonwood, AZ
Airport
Cottonwood Airport
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N8327N
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX02LA204
Reported as
Beech V35A
N8327NRegistration cancelled May 23, 2005 · Beech V35AS/N D-8734 · Built 1968Airframe modelBeech V35AEngine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Shortly after take off from Cottonwood Airport the pilot and passenger reported hearing a loud pop and a strong smell of fuel in the cabin. The pilot made a quick turn back towards the airport and started performing emergency procedures. The pilot realized that he wasn't going to make the Cottonwood Airport, he then decided to pick an alternate landing area. The pilot saw a road to his right and made the appropriate maneuvers to reach the road. Due to the loss of electrical power and the pilot actions to keep the aircraft speed the landing occurred at a fast speed than normal. During his landing the aircraft was unable to stop before the road ran out. The pilot realized he was going to strike a cattle guard and tried to lift the aircraft back off the ground but was unable to do so. The aircraft left and right wings struck the vertical post of the cattle guard. This impact caused the aircraft to slam back on the ground breaking the nose gear and the right main gear. The aircraft eventually came to rest at an 85 degree angle in a wash.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF FROM COTTONWOOD AIRPORT THE PILOT AND PASSENGER REPORTED HEARING A LOUD POP AND A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL IN THE CABIN. THE PILOT MADE A QUICK TURN BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT AND STARTED PERFORMING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO MAKE THE COTTONWOOD AIRPORT, HE THEN DECIDED TO PICK AN ALTERNATE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT SAW A ROAD TO HIS RIGHT AND MADE THE APPROPRIATE MANEUVERS TO REACH THE ROAD. DUE TO THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND THE PILOT ACTIONS TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT SPEED THE LANDING OCCURRED AT A FAST SPEED THAN NORMAL. DURING HIS LANDING THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO STOP BEFORE THE ROAD RAN OUT. THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS GOING TO STRIKE A CATTLE GUARD AND TRIED TO LIFT THE AIRCRAFT BACK OFF THE GROUND BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS STRUCK THE VERTICAL POST OF THE CATTLE GUARD. THIS IMPACT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO SLAM BACK ON THE GROUND BREAKING THE NOSE GEAR AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT EVENTUALLY CAME TO REST AT AN 85 DEGREE ANGLE IN A WASH.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX02LA204Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCottonwood, AZThe loss of engine power as a result of the failure of the #1 lower connecting rod bolt due to fatigue.Jun 20, 2002 · Substantial damage