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20230610011149A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Beech B35 · Orangeburg, SC · June 10, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 10, 2023 · 10:20 local
Place
Orangeburg, SC
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N8725A
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA23FA265
Reported as
Beech B35
Reported engine
Continental E225 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
125 total
N8725ARegistered now · Beech B35S/N D-2364Airframe modelBeech B35Engine modelContinental E225 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.

On June 10, 2023 at approximately 0955 hours (local), the Beech B-35 departed hampton county airport (3JO) enroute to jim hamilton/lb owens field (cub). Preliminary ADS-B data indicated the aircraft flew generally a northbound heading climbing to an altitude of about 5,500 ft. MSL before gradually descending. The airplanes ground speed averaged between 115 to 130 KTS. Until about 1018 hours, when the ground speed abruptly dropped to less than 70 KTS. The airplane continued to descend until ADS-B data was lost at approximately 1021 hours about 8 nautical miles north of Orangeburg municipal airport (ogb).

Preliminary review of ATC voice data indicates the pilot made a mayday call and reported losing engine power. ATC replied that the closest airport was ogb and there were several grass strips in the vicinity. No other communications with the accident aircraft were heard.

After an extensive search, the aircraft was located in a heavily wooded area. Examination of the accident site revealed the aircraft impacted the ground in a steep nose down attitude before coming to rest right side up. Examination of the propeller did not reveal any chordwise scratches or leading-edge gouging. The cockpit and fuselage sustained significant thermal damage. The wings were fairly intact, and the landing gear was extended. The instrument panel, instruments and switches were thermally damaged and unreadable. The fuel system selector was also thermally damaged but was recovered for further examination.

The aircraft and engine were recovered and retained for further examination.

This accident is still under investigation by the NTSB.

As the FAA filed it

ON JUNE 10, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 0955 HOURS (LOCAL), THE BEECH B-35 DEPARTED HAMPTON COUNTY AIRPORT (3JO) ENROUTE TO JIM HAMILTON/LB OWENS FIELD (CUB). PRELIMINARY ADS-B DATA INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT FLEW GENERALLY A NORTHBOUND HEADING CLIMBING TO AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 5,500 FT. MSL BEFORE GRADUALLY DESCENDING. THE AIRPLANES GROUND SPEED AVERAGED BETWEEN 115 TO 130 KTS. UNTIL ABOUT 1018 HOURS, WHEN THE GROUND SPEED ABRUPTLY DROPPED TO LESS THAN 70 KTS. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND UNTIL ADS-B DATA WAS LOST AT APPROXIMATELY 1021 HOURS ABOUT 8 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF ORANGEBURG MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (OGB).

PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF ATC VOICE DATA INDICATES THE PILOT MADE A MAYDAY CALL AND REPORTED LOSING ENGINE POWER. ATC REPLIED THAT THE CLOSEST AIRPORT WAS OGB AND THERE WERE SEVERAL GRASS STRIPS IN THE VICINITY. NO OTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WERE HEARD.

AFTER AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE BEFORE COMING TO REST RIGHT SIDE UP. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER DID NOT REVEAL ANY CHORDWISE SCRATCHES OR LEADING-EDGE GOUGING. THE COCKPIT AND FUSELAGE SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT THERMAL DAMAGE. THE WINGS WERE FAIRLY INTACT, AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, INSTRUMENTS AND SWITCHES WERE THERMALLY DAMAGED AND UNREADABLE. THE FUEL SYSTEM SELECTOR WAS ALSO THERMALLY DAMAGED BUT WAS RECOVERED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.

THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WERE RECOVERED AND RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.

THIS ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE NTSB.

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 ERA23FA265Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportOrangeburg, SCA stuck No. 3 cylinder intake valve, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.Jun 10, 2023 · Destroyed

Other reports on N8725A · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19970324010509IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Fullerton, CANarrative: during taxi operation pilot struck wingtip of other aircraft breaking both wingtips navigation lights assemblies. Minor damage to both aircraft.Mar 24, 1997 · Reported as Beech A36 · Minor damage