Beechcraft B36TC N4BA

Summary

On 1 April 2010 at about 16:53 local time, a Beechcraft B36TC registered N4BA, operated by Poelking Air LLC, was involved in an accident near Dayton, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 April 2010 at 16:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Dayton, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Dayton-Wright Brothers (MGY)

Coordinates

39.5808, -84.2292

Aircraft

Beechcraft B36TC

Registration

N4BA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Poelking Air LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dayton → West Chicago

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN10FA180

2 people died.

The complete loss of engine power due to failure of the No. 1 main bearing, and the secondary failure of a crankcase through-bolt and the fuel pump drive coupling. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt a return to the airport for a downwind forced landing, despite having an interstate highway and an open grass area short of the runway as available emergency landing sites.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Approximately 1 minute after takeoff, as the airplane was about 1 mile southwest of the airport, the pilot reported an engine failure to air traffic controllers and initiated a return to the airport. One witness, located about 1 mile west of the airport, reported that the sound of the engine changed abruptly; noting that the engine seemed to lose power completely. Another witness, located near the airport, observed the airplane approach from the west and turn to align with the downwind runway. During the turn, the left wingtip struck the ground and the airplane impacted short of the runway. A postimpact fire ensued. Although the pilot initiated a return to the airport, an interstate highway and an open grass area short of the runway were both potentially available for an emergency landing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 1 (aft) main crankshaft bearing failed due to unknown circumstances. The progressive failure of the bearing likely precipitated secondary failures of the crankcase through-bolt and the fuel pump coupling, which resulted in a complete loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.