Beechcraft V35 N5431U

Summary

On 2 September 2023 at about 15:00 local time, a Beechcraft V35 registered N5431U was involved in an accident near Rutledge, Tennessee, 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

2 September 2023 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Rutledge, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

36.3044, -83.4433

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35

Registration

N5431U

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sevierville → Harlan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA361

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of a retaining circlip in one of the No. 2 crankshaft cheek counterweights, which resulted in liberation of the counterweight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was about 15 minutes into the cross-country flight when the engine made a “loud bang,” began to run rough, and eventually seized. Unable to glide to an open field, the pilot conducted a forced landing into trees. He and his passenger were not injured; however, the airplane was substantially damaged. Examination revealed several holes in the engine case, and one of the No. 2 crankshaft cheek counterweights was missing. Further examination revealed two of the counterweight retaining circlips were fractured. Examination of the fractured circlips revealed that one of the circlip legs failed from fatigue crack propagation. The engine had been disassembled and the crankshaft inspected due to a propeller strike about 130 operating hours before the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.