Beechcraft A36 N729CW

Summary

On 17 March 2024 at about 12:25 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N729CW was involved in an accident near Blackshear, Georgia, 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

17 March 2024 at 12:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Blackshear, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

31.3061, -82.2421

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N729CW

Category

Airplane

Year built

1987

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jacksonville → Bowling Green

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA143

Nobody was injured.

A catastrophic engine failure due to oil starvation, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, as the flight was climbing through about 11,000 ft msl, he noticed a reduction in engine power, followed by a loss of oil pressure before the engine started to run rough and eventually seized. The pilot made a forced landing to a road; the airplane struck a tree while landing, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and engine mounts. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a hole in the top of the case along with a large amount of metallic debris in the oil sump. Although a large amount of residual oil was found inside the engine cowling, no oil was observed on the belly of the airplane. The oil filler cap was found secured. When the engine was disassembled, the camshaft was found sheared and there was extensive damage to the connecting rods, consistent with oil starvation. All of the oil ports were clear except for the No. 5 connecting rod journal, which was welded over from heat during the failure sequence. All of the oil line fittings were tight and pumps were found secure and operational. No mechanical deficiencies, leaks, or loose fittings were observed with the turbocharger. Based on the evidence, oil starvation likely resulted in the catastrophic engine failure and total loss of power; however, the reason for the oil starvation, such as a blockage or malfunction of the oil system, could not be determined due to extensive heat and mechanical damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.