Beechcraft S35 N53G

Summary

On 11 December 1990 at about 13:05 local time, a Beechcraft S35 registered N53G, operated by Ethell, Ervin C. & Jeffrey L., was involved in an accident near N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 December 1990 at 13:05

Classification

Accident

Location

N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

33.8199, -78.6706

Aircraft

Beechcraft S35

Registration

N53G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ethell, Ervin C. & Jeffrey L.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

N. Myrtle Beach → Greensboro

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL91LA030

Nobody was injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.