Beechcraft P35 N982Q

Summary

On 12 June 1994 at about 16:00 local time, a Beechcraft P35 registered N982Q was involved in an accident near Bluffton, South Carolina, United States. 3 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

12 June 1994 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Bluffton, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

32.1595, -80.7600

Aircraft

Beechcraft P35

Registration

N982Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sarasota → Garner

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL94LA120

Nobody was injured.

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO OIL STARVATION. THIS RESULTED FROM AN UNDERTORQUED CONDITION OF THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER, AND THE SUBSEQUENT FRETTING OF THE ADAPTER THREADS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT OBSERVED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, ACCOMPANIED BY THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL. THE PROPELLER OVERSPED, AND THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY QUIT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE LANDING ROLL. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE THREADS ON THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER, AND THE MATING THREADS ON THE ENGINE CASE, WERE SEVERELY FRETTED, AND OIL HAD LEAKED OUT OF THE ENGINE, AROUND THE ADAPTER THREADS. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF OIL STARVATION AND THERMAL DISTRESS ON INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE JAM NUT WHICH TIGHTENS THE ADAPTER TO THE ENGINE CASE EITHER LOST ITS PRELOAD TORQUE, OR WAS UNDERTORQUED DURING MAINTENANCE. LOGBOOK ENTRIES INDICATING THE LAST MAINTENANCE ON THE ADAPTER WERE NOT LOCATED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.