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20230720018569A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Beech C35 · Rock Springs, WY · July 20, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 20, 2023 · 12:55 local
Place
Rock Springs, WY
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N620D
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR23LA283
Reported as
Beech C35
Reported engine
Continental E185 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
N620DRegistered now · Beech C35S/N D-2879 · Built 1951Airframe modelBeech C35Engine modelContinental E185 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.

During climb, the pilot and

Passenger heard a “pop sound” from the engine compartment. The passenger thought he saw something

“Fly up from the engine” and was stuck on the windshield, which they described as five small black

Specs of “black goo.” the pilot checked all of the engine instruments and noted that they were all in the

Green. About 5 minutes later, the airplane could not maintain altitude. Aircraft continued to slowly lose power as they continued to (rks), Rock Springs WY. The engine RPM had continued to decrease to 1,250, and the pilot declared an emergency and decided to land on runway 27. As he turned to the east, the airplane was descending fast, while he was north of runway 27. The pilot stated that he considered landing on a taxiway, however, saw an airplane holding

Short of the runway and opted to turn left for an off-field landing. The pilot realized he was traveling

Toward powerlines and tried to maneuver around them. Subsequently, the airplane impacted powerlines

And terrain.

As the FAA filed it

DURING CLIMB, THE PILOT AND

PASSENGER HEARD A “POP SOUND” FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PASSENGER THOUGHT HE SAW SOMETHING

“FLY UP FROM THE ENGINE” AND WAS STUCK ON THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH THEY DESCRIBED AS FIVE SMALL BLACK

SPECS OF “BLACK GOO.” THE PILOT CHECKED ALL OF THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS AND NOTED THAT THEY WERE ALL IN THE

GREEN. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, THE AIRPLANE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SLOWLY LOSE POWER AS THEY CONTINUED TO (RKS), ROCK SPRINGS WY. THE ENGINE RPM HAD CONTINUED TO DECREASE TO 1,250, AND THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DECIDED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 27. AS HE TURNED TO THE EAST, THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING FAST, WHILE HE WAS NORTH OF RUNWAY 27. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CONSIDERED LANDING ON A TAXIWAY, HOWEVER, SAW AN AIRPLANE HOLDING

SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND OPTED TO TURN LEFT FOR AN OFF-FIELD LANDING. THE PILOT REALIZED HE WAS TRAVELING

TOWARD POWERLINES AND TRIED TO MANEUVER AROUND THEM. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED POWERLINES

AND TERRAIN.

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 WPR23LA283Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRock Springs, WYMaintenance personnel’s failure to properly secure the propeller pitch control rod castellated nut hardware, which resulted in an in-flight failure of the pitch control bearing and subsequent loss of engine RPM and thrust.Jul 20, 2023 · Substantial damage