Beechcraft V35B N3210L

Summary

On 2 May 2007 at about 20:55 local time, a Beechcraft V35B registered N3210L was involved in an accident near Kayenta, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 May 2007 at 20:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Kayenta, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Kayenta Airport (0V7)

Coordinates

36.7094, -110.2367

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35B

Registration

N3210L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Junction → Kayenta

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07LA118

1 person was seriously injured.

The overstress separation of both ruddervators during cruise flight. Contributing to the accident was the flight's encounter with turbulence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was at a cruise altitude of 12,500 feet msl on a cross-country flight when he experienced a sudden and complete loss of ruddervator control. The pilot said that control of the airplane was regained after reducing engine power to 1,500 rpm, and stabilizing the airspeed at 100-knots. He added that subsequent airplane control was accomplished via aileron and power inputs. The pilot flew to an airport about 75 miles from where the loss of control occurred. On short final for the intended runway, he lowered the landing gear. The airplane entered a dive and collided with terrain about 300 yards short of the runway in a nose-low attitude, which resulted in structural damage to the airframe. According to first responders to the accident, the pilot told them that he encountered severe turbulence, and momentarily lost control of the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed that both ruddervators had separated from their respective stabilizer attach points at some earlier time during the flight. The ruddervators were not found at the accident site, and only remnants remained attached to the hinge points on the stabilizers. The remaining pieces of ruddervator were examined. The examination revealed no evidence of preexisting cracks, fatigue, or corrosion damage, and all fracture features were consistent with overstress separations. For the portions of the flight documented by radar coverage, the data indicated calculated true airspeeds routinely above design maneuvering speed (VA-132-kts), with two sustained periods at design cruising speed (VC-165-kts), and occasional periods 5 to 12-knots above VC. There's no evidence indicating that the airplane's never-exceed speed (VNE-195-kts) was exceeded. An AIRMET (Airman's Meteorological Information) for moderate turbulence was issued during the timeframe of the accident, and included the route of flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.