What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 12, 2024, at 1853 local time, a Beech K35 was conducting aerial survey work. The aircraft experienced a loss of engine power and landed in a field near Front Royal, Virginia. The conditions were daytime, clear skies with light to moderate turbulence.
The pilot reported that propeller control was unresponsive while attempting to reduce RPM as he was approaching the survey work area. The pilot began to slow his descent near the survey area, at this time prop control was established, so the pilot continued the flight.
The pilot began survey work and noticed the number 3 exhaust gas temerature was lower than normal. The pilot continued his survey work to see if temperatures would stabilize by making periodic adjustments, however, the exhaust gas temperature did not return to normal. The pilot was getting uncomfortable and decided to pause his survey work. The pilot began to climb. At 6,300 feet MSL, the pilot monitored the exhaust gas temeparture and did not notice a change. The pilot adjusted propeller control to reduce RPM but there was no response. Shortly thereafter, the RPM immediately spiked followed by a loss of engine power.
The pilot reviewed his emergency checklist, at this time the pilot knew he wasn't making the airport. He declared mayday on 121.5, received a response asking for his location, he said "frr but I am not going to make it", he chose a field to his left. As he came in, he saw a tree line across the end, and an opening. He lined up with the opening and executed the emergency landing. After the aircraft came to rest, he assessed his condition. He then began to turn off aircraft power and fuel. He called 911 and exited the aircraft. The pilot was not injured as a result of the aircraft accident.
An initial inspection of the aircraft revealed substantial damage to the left and right wings, both wings sheared at their respective mid-spans. Both the upper and lower fuselage were buckled and damaged aft of the baggage compartment, left and right sides. The engine did not sustain any noticeable damage, the propeller remained attached to the engine crankshaft flange, however, both blades were bent back at their respective midpoints. The propeller blades indicated minimal rotational signatures. The gear was retracted and did not indicate any noticeable damage.
A review of the aircraft maintenance logbooks discovered that all inspections were current.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 12, 2024, AT 1853 LOCAL TIME, A BEECH K35 WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL SURVEY WORK. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND LANDED IN A FIELD NEAR FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA.THE CONDITIONS WERE DAYTIME, CLEAR SKIES WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE TURBULENCE.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PROPELLER CONTROL WAS UNRESPONSIVE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REDUCE RPM AS HE WAS APPROACHING THE SURVEY WORK AREA. THE PILOT BEGAN TO SLOW HIS DESCENT NEAR THE SURVEY AREA, AT THIS TIME PROP CONTROL WAS ESTABLISHED, SO THE PILOT CONTINUED THE FLIGHT.
THE PILOT BEGAN SURVEY WORK AND NOTICED THE NUMBER 3 EXHAUST GAS TEMERATURE WAS LOWER THAN NORMAL. THE PILOT CONTINUED HIS SURVEY WORK TO SEE IF TEMPERATURES WOULD STABILIZE BY MAKING PERIODIC ADJUSTMENTS, HOWEVER, THE EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE DID NOT RETURN TO NORMAL.THE PILOT WAS GETTING UNCOMFORTABLE AND DECIDED TO PAUSE HIS SURVEY WORK. THE PILOT BEGAN TO CLIMB. AT 6,300 FEET MSL, THE PILOT MONITORED THE EXHAUST GAS TEMEPARTURE AND DID NOT NOTICE A CHANGE. THE PILOT ADJUSTED PROPELLER CONTROL TO REDUCE RPM BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE RPM IMMEDIATELY SPIKED FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
THE PILOT REVIEWED HIS EMERGENCY CHECKLIST, AT THIS TIME THE PILOT KNEW HE WASN'T MAKING THE AIRPORT. HE DECLARED MAYDAY ON 121.5, RECEIVED A RESPONSE ASKING FOR HIS LOCATION, HE SAID "FRR BUT I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE IT", HE CHOSE A FIELD TO HIS LEFT. AS HE CAME IN, HE SAW A TREE LINE ACROSS THE END, AND AN OPENING. HE LINED UP WITH THE OPENING AND EXECUTED THE EMERGENCY LANDING. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST, HE ASSESSED HIS CONDITION. HE THEN BEGAN TO TURN OFF AIRCRAFT POWER AND FUEL. HE CALLED 911 AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT.
AN INITIAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS, BOTH WINGS SHEARED AT THEIR RESPECTIVE MID-SPANS. BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER FUSELAGE WERE BUCKLED AND DAMAGED AFT OF THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT, LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES. THE ENGINE DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY NOTICEABLE DAMAGE, THE PROPELLER REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FLANGE, HOWEVER, BOTH BLADES WERE BENT BACK AT THEIR RESPECTIVE MIDPOINTS. THE PROPELLER BLADES INDICATED MINIMAL ROTATIONAL SIGNATURES. THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED AND DID NOT INDICATE ANY NOTICEABLE DAMAGE.
A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOGBOOKS DISCOVERED THAT ALL INSPECTIONS WERE CURRENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.