Accident Overview
On April 7, 2011, at 1227 central daylight time, a Beech A36 Bonanza, registration N24192, experienced a loss of engine power while descending, resulting in a forced landing near Monaville, Texas. The aircraft was substantially damaged, the pilot was not injured, and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, with visual meteorological conditions at the accident site. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed, and the flight originated from Lakeway Airport (3R9) in Austin, Texas, around 1130.
Flight History
According to the pilot, the engine experienced an intermittent loss of power after leveling at 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot moved the mixture control to full rich and switched the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank. The engine regained power momentarily but then began to hesitate. Activating the fuel boost pump resulted in a complete loss of engine power. Further attempts to restore power were unsuccessful, leading to a forced landing in an open field.
Postaccident Inspection
A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the right wing root adjacent to the fuselage. The nose landing gear had collapsed, and the engine exhaust assembly was deformed. Two blades of the three-bladed propeller were bent aft along their length. The engine itself appeared undamaged. The wings were removed to facilitate recovery of the aircraft.
Engine Test Run
An engine test run was conducted under NTSB supervision after replacing the propeller and repairing the exhaust assembly. Fuel was supplied at the left wing fuel inlet, and the engine was started using the airplane's electrical system. After several minutes at idle, engine speed was increased to 1,700 rpm. A magneto check showed a 50 rpm drop on each magneto. At full throttle, the engine reached 2,700 rpm and 29 inches of manifold pressure. Engine and propeller governor operation appeared normal.
Maintenance records indicate the engine was overhauled in October 2007, with the most recent inspection completed on August 13, 2010. Approximately 120 hours had accumulated since overhaul and about 30 hours since that inspection.