Beechcraft A36 N1875W

Summary

On 14 May 2021 at about 20:00 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N1875W was involved in an accident near Pinckneyville, Illinois, 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

14 May 2021 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Pinckneyville, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

38.0767, -89.4021

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N1875W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Logansport → Melbourne

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA221

Nobody was injured.

The total loss of engine power due to oil starvation. The reason for the oil starvation could not be determined based on available evidence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While at an altitude of 8,000 ft mean sea level, the pilot noticed the engine oil pressure began to fluctuate. The pilot then requested to divert to the nearest airport, and shortly thereafter, the engine began to shake and lost total power. Unable to make the airport, the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane’s nose wheel landing gear impacted a ditch. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that connecting rods 2 through 5 were fractured and separated from the crankshaft, and the connecting rod bearings were destroyed. Heat distress signatures were noted on the crankshaft connecting rod locations. The connecting rod bearings number 1 and 6 displayed significant scoring consistent with a lack of oil lubrication. It is likely the engine failure was the result of oil starvation to the connecting rod bearings, however, the reason for the oil starvation could not be determined based on the available evidence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.