Beechcraft 35-C33A N4828J

Summary

On 10 March 1991 at about 00:50 local time, a Beechcraft 35-C33A registered N4828J, operated by James W. Hardin, was involved in an accident near Key West, Florida, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 March 1991 at 00:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Key West, Florida, United States

Coordinates

24.5497, -81.7807

Aircraft

Beechcraft 35-C33A

Registration

N4828J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James W. Hardin

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → West Palm Beach

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA91FA095

3 people died.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHILE RETURNING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING PROPELLER FAILURE, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING AND ENTERING A SPIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES RPTD THEY HEARD PROPELLER OVERSPEED FOLLOWED BY ENGINE PWR BEING REDUCED TO IDLE AS IF PILOT PULLED THROTTLE CLOSED. ACFT THEN BANKED TO LEFT AND ENTERED SPIN TO THE LEFT CRASHING INTO A PARKING LOT. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, ACFT STRUCTURE, AND FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER REVEALED THE NUMBER TWO BLADE PITCH CHANGE ACTUATING PIN HAD FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. THE PIN HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT OVERHAUL, 600 FLT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, BY FOLLOWING MCCAULEY SERVICE BULLETIN 99 WHICH IS NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS MODEL PROPELLER. THE PIN WAS INSTALLED BY USING A SHORT THREADED PIN, A THIN SPACER, AND A BLIND HOLE IN THE FERRULE. THIS COMBINATION ALLOWED THE PIN TO BOTTOM OUT IN THE HOLE THUS NOT TORQUING PROPERLY AND THUS CRACKING DUE TO APPLIED LOADS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.