20040716030289A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Beech A45 · La Grange, GA · July 16, 2004

Date: July 16, 2004 · 10:00 local
Place: La Grange, GA
Airport: Callaway Airport
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N134BH
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04LA157
Reported as: Beech A45
Reported engine: Continental IO520B
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,500 total700 in this make and model75 in the last 90 days

N134BHRegistration cancelled May 12, 2005 · Beech A45S/N G-792 · Built 1956 Airframe modelBeech A45 Engine 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) Approximately 1000 local time BE-A45-B45 N134BH was 14 miles from the lagrange airport (lgc) at 7,500 feet. The engine began to run roughly with a noted loss of power. The pilot-in-command, after determining that he could not make it to the lagrange airport, elected to land into some small pine trees. Oil covered the windscreen and the right side of the aircraft. The propeller could not be located. There were no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) APPROXIMATELY 1000 LOCAL TIME BE-A45-B45 N134BH WAS 14 MILES FROM THE LAGRANGE AIRPORT (LGC) AT 7,500 FEET. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY WITH A NOTED LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, AFTER DETERMINING THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE LAGRANGE AIRPORT, ELECTED TO LAND INTO SOME SMALL PINE TREES. OIL COVERED THE WINDSCREEN AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PROPELLER COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

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 ATL04LA157Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLaGrange, GAThe maintenance personnel under-torquing of the crankcase throughbolts during top overhaul, which resulted in crankcase fretting, and the subsequent fatigue failure of the crankshaft at the No. 4 main journal. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for…Jul 16, 2004 · Substantial damage