Beechcraft 35 N9883R

Summary

On 1 April 2020 at about 18:10 local time, a Beechcraft 35 registered N9883R was involved in an accident near Seguin, Texas, United States. 2 people were 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

1 April 2020 at 18:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Seguin, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Elm Creek Airpark (0TX6)

Coordinates

29.5011, -97.9953

Aircraft

Beechcraft 35

Registration

N9883R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1960

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seguin → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA140

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s mismanagement of airspeed and glidepath during approach for a precautionary landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and a collision with a fence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the initial climb, the airplane’s No. 3 cylinder indicated a cylinder head temperature (CHT) about 60° cooler than the other five cylinders. At 1,000 ft above ground level, the first power reduction was made from takeoff power to 2,500 rpm and 25 inches manifold pressure. The pilot reported a “normal reduction” in fuel flow was made with the mixture control. Immediately, the pilot heard and felt a loud, continuous “rhythmic banging” noise. The pilot noted the No. 3 cylinder CHT had reduced to 220° F; however, all other engine instrument indications remained in the normal range, and the engine still produced power. The pilot decided to return to the airport and land. Once established on the final approach for the runway, the pilot concluded that the airplane was "high and fast.” The pilot reported he was committed to the landing even though he knew he would land "long and hot." After the touchdown, the rollout was “completely under control,” but the groundspeed was “fast.” The airplane crossed the end of the runway and traveled past the runway overrun area. The airplane came to a stop after impact with a fence. The pilot reported the engine continued to run until he shut it down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident examination of the engine was performed and a small amount of metal was found in the oil filter; no other preimpact anomalies were noted with the engine. The cause of the noise as reported by the pilot and the low No. 3 cylinder CHT could not be determined based on the available evidence. The accident is consistent with the pilot mismanaging his airspeed and glidepath during approach, which resulted in a precautionary landing too far down the runway at too high an airspeed to stop on the remaining runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.