Beechcraft G35 N4454D

Summary

On 31 August 2012 at about 18:40 local time, a Beechcraft G35 registered N4454D was involved in an accident near Oceano, California, 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

31 August 2012 at 18:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Oceano, California, United States

Nearest airport

Oceano County (L52)

Coordinates

35.1008, -120.6200

Aircraft

Beechcraft G35

Registration

N4454D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tulare → Oceano

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA396

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s exceedance of the design maneuvering speed during descent in turbulence, 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, while the airplane was descending to land at an indicated airspeed of about 180 mph, it encountered turbulence for about 2 seconds. The pilot immediately reduced power and slowed the airplane to about 140 mph. The pilot continued the approach and landed the airplane without further incident. After landing, the pilot observed deformities along the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed structural twisting damage to the aft fuselage, consistent with an overload failure in a tail downward direction. According to the airplane manufacturer, the damage was also consistent with damage seen on other airplanes of the same make and model that had encountered turbulence while descending at speeds higher than the airplane's design maneuvering speed. A review of the Pilot's Operating Handbook showed that the airplane's reported airspeed of 180 mph at the time it encountered the turbulence was within the caution operating range of 176 to 202 mph and was higher than the design maneuvering speed. It is likely that the pilot's exceedance of the design maneuvering speed while the airplane was descending in turbulence resulted in the structural damage to the aft fuselage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.