# Accident 20240312002569A: Beech K35, Front Royal, VA, March 12, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 12, 2024, 18:53 local time
- Place: Front Royal, VA
- Airport: Front Royal-Warren County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9294° N, 78.2801° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9294&lon=-78.2801&mi=10
- Aircraft: N59MK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N59MK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech K35 (registry code 1151524, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-k35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH K35
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR I0-470 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 926 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA139) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240312002569A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA24LA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA139), Mar 12, 2024: Beech K35 (N59MK), Front Royal, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot’s mismanagement of the airplane’s fuel supply.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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