20201124017209A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Beech V35 · Deltaville, VA · November 24, 2020

Date: November 24, 2020 · 09:30 local
Place: Deltaville, VA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N35AW
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA21LA053
Reported as: Beech V35
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot

N35AWRegistration cancelled Dec 3, 2022 · Beech V35S/N D-8069 · Built 1966 Airframe modelBeech V35 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.

All major components were found at the accident site. Wings, tail and control surfaces. All control cables were present; most were still intact; three where broke at various locations. Engine and propellor blades were all present on site and engine could still be turned by hand and various gears in front and back could be seen moving along with one lifter that was exposed and the tach drive.

13 Days after accident a witness was able to find out how to contact us and advised the airplane flew over his head while they were in a boat (2NM NE of accident site, 1 min to impact) and they saw him fly through a flock of seagulls and two of the birds fell into the water near their boat. The ac continued on it's path and they kept working, about 3-4 mins later they looked up and saw the black smoke.

Pilot was flying on basic med with a course date of 4/24/2020 and a cmec of 5/17/2017.

Last FAA medical 5/12/2016 had no concerns nor significant issues identified.

Wx was clear with light winds.

As the FAA filed it

ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS WERE FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. WINGS, TAIL AND CONTROL SURFACES. ALL CONTROL CABLES WERE PRESENT; MOST WERE STILL INTACT; THREE WHERE BROKE AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS. ENGINE AND PROPELLOR BLADES WERE ALL PRESENT ON SITE AND ENGINE COULD STILL BE TURNED BY HAND AND VARIOUS GEARS IN FRONT AND BACK COULD BE SEEN MOVING ALONG WITH ONE LIFTER THAT WAS EXPOSED AND THE TACH DRIVE.

13 DAYS AFTER ACCIDENT A WITNESS WAS ABLE TO FIND OUT HOW TO CONTACT US AND ADVISED THE AIRPLANE FLEW OVER HIS HEAD WHILE THEY WERE IN A BOAT (2NM NE OF ACCIDENT SITE, 1 MIN TO IMPACT) AND THEY SAW HIM FLY THROUGH A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS AND TWO OF THE BIRDS FELL INTO THE WATER NEAR THEIR BOAT. THE AC CONTINUED ON IT'S PATH AND THEY KEPT WORKING, ABOUT 3-4 MINS LATER THEY LOOKED UP AND SAW THE BLACK SMOKE.

PILOT WAS FLYING ON BASIC MED WITH A COURSE DATE OF 4/24/2020 AND A CMEC OF 5/17/2017.

LAST FAA MEDICAL 5/12/2016 HAD NO CONCERNS NOR SIGNIFICANT ISSUES IDENTIFIED.

WX WAS CLEAR WITH LIGHT WINDS.

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 ERA21LA053Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportDeltaville, VAAn uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain following an in-flight collision with seagulls.Nov 24, 2020 · Destroyed