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20230902013979A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Beech V35 · Rutledge, TN · September 2, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 2, 2023 · 11:18 local
Place
Rutledge, TN
Airport
Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airpor
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N5431U
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA23LA361
Reported as
Beech V35
Reported engine
Continental IO-520 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
12,000 total
N5431URegistered now · Beech V35S/N D-8515 · Built 1967Airframe modelBeech V35Engine 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.

Accident occurred on 9/2/2023 after aircraft engine seized inflight. Pilot stated he felt a brief vibration and engine shudder prior to engine seizing. Pilot traded airspeed for altitude to allow for time to troubleshoot the problem and prepare for an emergency landing. Aircraft lost airspeed and landed inverted in forested area near Rutledge, TN. The pilot and one passenger escaped the aircraft without injury.

The FAA and NTSB conducted a tear down of Continental IO-520-B engine, sn: 814447-R, on 10/3/2023.

Aft crankshaft counterbalance weight separated during inflight operation. Engine tear-down revealed separation of crankshaft counterbalance weight from crankshaft counterbalance hanger. Snap rings and oiling discs were recovered from engine debris.

The aircraft had a 100 hour inspection conducted by an A&P mecahnic on xx/xx/ 2023.

An active airworthiness directive, AD 2023-04-08 (supercede by AD 2023-05-16) required a change to the installation of crankshaft counterbalance retaining rings.

As the FAA filed it

ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON 9/2/2023 AFTER AIRCRAFT ENGINE SEIZED INFLIGHT. PILOT STATED HE FELT A BRIEF VIBRATION AND ENGINE SHUDDER PRIOR TO ENGINE SEIZING. PILOT TRADED AIRSPEED FOR ALTITUDE TO ALLOW FOR TIME TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM AND PREPARE FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AIRCRAFT LOST AIRSPEED AND LANDED INVERTED IN FORESTED AREA NEAR RUTLEDGE, TN. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ESCAPED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY.

THE FAA AND NTSB CONDUCTED A TEAR DOWN OF CONTINENTAL IO-520-B ENGINE, SN: 814447-R, ON 10/3/2023.

AFT CRANKSHAFT COUNTERBALANCE WEIGHT SEPARATED DURING INFLIGHT OPERATION. ENGINE TEAR-DOWN REVEALED SEPARATION OF CRANKSHAFT COUNTERBALANCE WEIGHT FROM CRANKSHAFT COUNTERBALANCE HANGER. SNAP RINGS AND OILING DISCS WERE RECOVERED FROM ENGINE DEBRIS.

THE AIRCRAFT HAD A 100 HOUR INSPECTION CONDUCTED BY AN A&P MECAHNIC ON XX/XX/ 2023.

AN ACTIVE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE, AD 2023-04-08 (SUPERCEDE BY AD 2023-05-16) REQUIRED A CHANGE TO THE INSTALLATION OF CRANKSHAFT COUNTERBALANCE RETAINING RINGS.

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 ERA23LA361Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportRutledge, TNA total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of a retaining circlip in one of the No. 2 crankshaft cheek counterweights, which resulted in liberation of the counterweight.Sep 2, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5431U · 1

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

Incident 20200612006739ICruise/Level Flight · Strawberry Plai, TNOn 6/12/20 N5431U departed kdkx in route to kmor and back to kdkx. Upon departure both fuel tanks showed just below half and the fuel selector was on the right tank. N5431U flew to kmor and returned to kdkx. On approach into kdkx at 2300 feet the engine…Jun 12, 2020 · Minor damage