# NTSB MIA02LA018: Beech P35, N9754Y, Belle Glade, FL, November 17, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 17, 2001, 11:25 local (16:25 UTC) - Place: Belle Glade, FL - Coordinates: 26.333333, -80.716667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.3333&lon=-80.7167&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report October 23, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO, Teledyne Continental Motors - NTSB case key (mKey): 53795 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA018 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53795/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA018 ## Probable cause The loss of engine oil for undetermined reasons that resulted in the engine seizing, a forced landing on a dirt road, and an impact with a vehicle on the dirt road during the landing rollout. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - fluid,oil - starvation - engine assembly - seized - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - vehicle ## Analysis The pilot said he had been airborne for about 20 minutes and looked at the JPI indicator which showed that the oil temperature was 89 degrees and the oil pressure was zero. He said he then entered a turn to go to State Road 84 and execute an emergency landing, and during the turn a loud bang occurred and the engine ceased operating. He then saw a dirt road about 15 miles southwest of State Road 84, and executed a forced landing there instead, but during the landing rollout the left wing tip impacted a pick-up truck that had been parked on the dirt road and it veered into a ditch. The FAA Inspector who responded to the accident scene found clean oil on the bottom of the fuselage, but did not determine the source of the oil leak. The following day when salvage personnel returned to the accident scene to retrieve the airplane wreckage for a detailed examination, they found that the airplane had burned. The engine compartment and aft, to include the cabin and inboard two thirds of both wings had incurred fire damage. Only the wing tips and empennage remained undamaged. Examination of the engine revealed that the rear and right side of the engine had incurred fire damage. In addition, the examination showed that there was an opening in the engine case at the No. 4 cylinder position, and the No. 4 connecting rod was protruding through the opening. Both the No. 4 and No 5 connecting rods had separated from the crankshaft, and both connecting rods as well as all main bearings exhibited signatures consistent with oil starvation. ## Factual narrative On November 17, 2001, about 1125 eastern standard time, a Beech P35, N9754Y, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, incurred a loss of engine power, while in cruise flight, about 12 miles south of Belle Glade, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot received serious injuries, and one passenger received minor injuries. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Pembroke Pines, Florida, the same day, about 1100. The pilot stated that he estimated that he had been airborne for about 20 minutes when he looked at the JPI indicator on the instrument panel and noted that the oil temperature was 89 degrees and the oil pressure was zero. He had been receiving visual flight rules (VFR) flight following, and was talking to Miami Air Traffic Control Center, so he then told them that he was having engine problems and will attempt to make an emergency landing on State Road 84. According to the pilot, as he maneuvered the aircraft into a turn to proceed to State Road 84, there was a loud bang and the engine ceased operating. He said he then saw a dirt road about 15 miles southwest of State Road 84, so he prepared for a forced landing to the dirt road instead. The approach and touchdown on the dirt road were "perfect," but he said he had not seen a pick-up truck that had been parked on the dirt road prior to touchdown, and as the rollout continued the airplane's left wing tip impacted the truck, and the airplane veered off the road into a ditch, incurring damage. On November 17, 2001, an FAA Inspector responded to the accident scene, and stated that he saw clean oil on the bottom of the fuselage, but added that he was unable to determine from where the oil had come. The following day, when salvage personnel returned to the accident scene to retrieve the wreckage for a detailed examination, they found that the aircraft had burned. The airplane engine compartment and aft, to include the cabin and inboard two thirds of the airplane wings had incurred fire damage. Only the wing tips and empennage had not incurred fire damage. On December 5, 2001, the NTSB along with a representative from Teledyne Continental Motors, examined the accident airplane's engine. The examination revealed the existence of fire damage. In addition, the examination showed that there was an opening in the engine case at the No. 4 cylinder position, and the No. 4 connecting rod was protruding through the opening. Both the No. 4 and No 5 connecting rods had separated from the crankshaft , and both connecting rods as well as all main bearings exhibited signatures consistent with oil starvation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9754Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9754Y-2002-05-16), registration cancelled 2002-05-16, S/N D-7145, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech P35 - Registry model: [Beech P35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-p35) (registry code 1151530) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: D7145 - Airframe hours: 4986.6 - Engines: Continental IO470N14B 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 27, 2001, 37.3 hours before - Departed: HWO, Pembroke Pines, FL - Destination: SEF, Sebring, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,060 total, 425 in this make and model, 897 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 19 knots, gusting 24 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: PBI, 39 nm away 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.