# Accident 20250409005059A: Beech A36, Fredericksburg, VA, April 9, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 2025, 15:03 local time
- Place: Fredericksburg, VA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2689° N, 77.5934° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2689&lon=-77.5934&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-550 series (registry code 17042, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO-550 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,654 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA169](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA169) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250409005059A

## Narrative

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

DURING LEVEL FLIGHT CFII NOTICED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS SHOWING LITTLE OR NO OIL PRESSURE. IMMEDIATELY PULLED BACK THE THROTTLE TO IDLE TO BEGIN ENGINE SHUTDOWN, BUT, ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE ENGINE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND BEGAN SMOKING, AND WITHIN SECONDS IT CAME TO A COMPLETE AND ABRUPT STOP. AT THAT POINT, PROCEEDED TO ESTABLISH BEST GLIDE SPEED AND ASKED OTHER PILOT (CFII) TO SCAN FOR A FIELD OR OTHER LANDING OPTION. PILOT QUICKLY SPOTTED A FIELD THAT APPEARED TO BE WITHIN GLIDING RANGE AND TURNED TOWARDS THE FIELD. THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY SET UP FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND LEG TO THE FIELD AND CONTINUED THE APPROACH TURNING BASE THEN FINAL TO LINE UP FOR THE FIELD. ONCE THEY KNEW THEY COULD REACH THE FIELD THEY DROPPED THE GEAR AND WENT TO FULL FLAPS FOR LANDING. TOTAL TIME FROM ENGINE FAILURE TO TOUCHDOWN WAS LESS THAN 2 MINUTES. THERE WAS A LINE OF TREES AT THE FAR END OF THE FIELD. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THEY WERE APPROACHING THE TREES, THEY TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO PUT THE NOSE BETWEEN TREES HOPING THE WING WOULD TAKE THE IMPACT AND LIMIT THE CABIN DAMAGE. ONCE THE WING HIT THE TREE, THE AIRPLANE WAS VIOLENTLY PIVOTED AROUND AND FLIPPED OVER.

POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION ON SCENE FOUND THAT #4 ENGINE CONNECTING ROD END CAP CAME LOOSE AND BROKE THROUGH THE ENGINE CASE ON TOP SIDE OF ENGINE CASE.

## 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 ERA25LA169](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA169), Apr 9, 2025: Beech A36 (N2Z), Fredericksburg, VA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

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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