- Date
- May 28, 1994, 19:05 local (May 29, 1994, 00:05 UTC)
- Place
- Mckinney, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3956NBeech 35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940528012809A
- Case key
- 19080
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 ailerons being locked by a foreign object.
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
While on final approach at approximately 300 feet AGL, the ailerons became locked and the pilot was unable to return the airplane to the level flight attitude. The airplane, configured with the landing gear and flaps retracted, entered a left spiral, completing two 360 degree turns prior to impacting in a wheat field. Investigation revealed that a brass alloy foreign object entered the interior of the control wheel through an open inspection window in the back side of the single throwover type control yoke. The foreign object, which was not recovered, became trapped between the sprocket and the chain, locking the ailerons.
Factual narrative
On May 28, 1994, at 1905 central daylight time, a Beech 35, N3956N, was substantially damaged during descent near McKinney, Texas. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight.
The pilot stated that the airplane was at approximately 300 feet AGL on final approach at the Aero-Country Airport, when the ailerons became locked. The pilot was not able to return the airplane to the level flight attitude.
The pilot reported that the airplane entered a left 60 degree spiral, completing two 360 degree turns, until he was able to drag the left wing into a wheat field approximately a quarter of a mile west of the airport. At the time of ground impact, the airplane was configured with the landing gear and flaps retracted. The 1948 vintage airplane was equipped with a single throwover type control yoke, being operated from the left side.
Examination of the control wheel, control wheel cast, chain and sprockets, revealed that a brass alloy foreign object, which was not recovered, became trapped between the sprocket and the chain, blocking the ailerons. The control wheel arm assembly has an open inspection window on its back side.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3956N
- Reported as
- Beech 35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-1216
- Airframe hours
- 3,850
- Engine
- Continental E-185-8, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Duval, Randall L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 30, 1993 · 250 hours before
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,350 total · 340 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAL, 24 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3956N · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.