Beechcraft F35 N1AG

Summary

On 29 May 1998 at about 16:30 local time, a Beechcraft F35 registered N1AG was involved in an accident near Orleans, Nebraska, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 May 1998 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Orleans, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

40.1297, -99.4496

Aircraft

Beechcraft F35

Registration

N1AG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pueblo → Hasting

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98LA180

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot selected a field with unsuitable terrain and stalled the airplane. Additional factors were the tower in the field, and engine failure due to the improper torque applied to camshaft bolts by other maintenance personnel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while en route at 9,500 feet msl, the engine quit and attempts to restart it were unsuccessful. The pilot picked out a field and maneuvered the airplane to a 'low key' position abeam his landing point at 1,200 feet agl. He reported extending the landing gear after low key, but when he was at the 90 degree position, he noticed a tower in the field. To avoid the tower, the pilot withheld flap extension and 'zoomed' the aircraft to clear the guy wires supporting the tower. The pilot reported that the airplane stalled at approximately 20 feet above ground level at 65 miles per hour. The engine teardown and inspection revealed broken camshaft gear drive attachment bolts. A metallurgical examination indicated that the failure was due to fatigue. The metallurgist reported the evidence of fatigue failure was exhibited by the beach marks and ratchet marks which suggested that the bolts were under torqued, thus leading to fatigue failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.