Beechcraft D35 N5985C
29 April 1997 · Lexington, Kentucky, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 29 April 1997 at about 17:30 local time, a Beechcraft D35 registered N5985C was involved in an accident near Lexington, Kentucky, 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.
The record
- Date
- at 17:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Lexington, Kentucky, United States
- Coordinates
- 38.0490, -84.4996
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft D35
- Registration
- N5985C
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Chapel Hill → Seymour
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CHI97LA119
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
flutter for an undetermined reason, which resulted in structural damage to the aft fuselage.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that he made a climb to 7,500 feet and set his power to cruise at 160 mph. To remain clear of clouds, he started a descent to 6,500 feet. He experienced light turbulence, and the airplane began to vibrate and shake. After 10 to 15 seconds, the pilot pulled back on the throttle, and the vibration stopped. The pilot thought the vibration was engine related. He re-applied power for cruise, then the airplane started to shake again, but much more violently than the first occurrence. He reduced power and landed the airplane. The airplane's never exceed airspeed (Vne) was 203 mph, and the maximum cruise airspeed (Vno) was 160 mph. Inspection of the airplane revealed that the aft fuselage received extensive damage between fuselage station (FS) 256.9 and the 233.5 bulkhead. The longerons were bent downward, and two stringers were cracked. The left and right side fuselage panels below the stabilizers exhibited 45 degree buckling from the bottom of the FS 256.9 bulkhead to forward of the stabilizer cuffs. The bottom fuselage panel had popped rivets and torn skin, and there were two 2-inch creases in both stabilizers. No pre-existing cracks were found on the longerons. The ruddervators were properly balanced.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft D35 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Apr 1997 | Beechcraft D35 | Bartlesville, Oklahoma, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 23 Jul 1996 | Beechcraft D35 | Yellow Pine, Idaho, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 4 Jul 1998 | Beechcraft D35 | Driggs, Idaho, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 1999 | Beechcraft D35 | Indiantown, Florida, United States | Christopher M. Conlisk | Unknown | - |
| 24 Apr 1995 | Beechcraft D35 | McGehee, Arkansas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Apr 2000 | Beechcraft D35 | Agua Dulce, California, United States | Robert R. Kelsey | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Feb 1997 | Cessna 208B | Covington, Kentucky, United States | Baron Aviation Service | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 1997 | Piper PA-28-181 | Manchester, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 1997 | Lockheed L-1011-385-1 | Covington, Kentucky, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 14 Jul 1997 | Hughes 269B | Paducah, Kentucky, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 10 Jul 1997 | Cessna 182 | Springfield, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Aug 1997 | Dassault DA-20 | Lexington, Kentucky, United States | - | No injuries | - |