- Date
- December 11, 1990, 08:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- N. Myrtle Beach, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N53GBeech S35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 8363
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to ensure that the engine oil filter was properly installed prior to flight, resulting in engine oil loss and eventual failure of the engine.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
About five minutes into the flight, the pilot observed the engine surge, run roughly, and subsequently quit. Oil was observed on the windscreen prior to the engine quitting. During the forced landing attempt, the airplane collided with a telephone pole and nosed overr. Examination of the engine revealed an oil leak at the engine oil filter. The filter was safety wired, but loose. Two connecting rods were found broken, and evidence of extreme overheating was observed inside the engine. The pilot reported that he had changed the oil and filter prior to the accident flight. An airport official reported a large amount of new oil on the ramp where the airplane was parked.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53G
- Reported as
- Beech S35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-7849
- Airframe hours
- 4,713
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA3, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ethell, Ervin C. & Jeffrey L.
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 27, 1990 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- CRE · N. Myrtle Beach, SC
- Destination
- GSO · Greensboro, NC
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 750 in this make and model · 13 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F