History of Flight
On June 23, 2013, at approximately 1443 Pacific daylight time, a Beech A45, registration N434M, collided with terrain during a forced landing near Boulder City, Nevada. The aircraft was operated by Jet Test and Transport LLC under 14 CFR Part 91 as a cross-country personal flight. It had departed Chandler, Arizona, at an undetermined time, with a planned destination of North Las Vegas Airport (VGT). Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot contacted Las Vegas Terminal Radar Approach Control (LAS TRACON) and reported the airplane at 9,500 feet mean sea level. He requested priority handling due to an illuminated engine chip light. Shortly afterward, the pilot stated he had lost a cylinder and declared an emergency. He intended to land at Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU), and the controller cleared him to switch to the BVU common traffic advisory frequency. Before switching, the pilot reported the aircraft at 3,800 feet with the landing gear down and the situation under control. No further communications were received. The airplane struck terrain about 1 mile west of the airport.
Personnel Information
The 41-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, lighter-than-air balloon, and instrument airplane. He also held a certified flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and ground instructor-advanced, as well as an Airframe and Powerplant certificate with Inspection Authorization. His second-class medical certificate was issued on November 22, 2011, with no limitations. According to FAA medical records, he reported 945 total flight hours, with 250 hours logged in the previous 6 months. No personal flight records were located.
Aircraft Information
The Beech A45, serial number G-756, had a Continental Motors IO-550-B23B engine (serial number 296827-R) that was factory remanufactured with zero time and installed on June 21, 1996. The aircraft's original logbooks were lost; a new logbook started on July 3, 1993, recorded a total time of 5,335.4 hours at that date. At the last annual inspection on March 1, 2012, the tachometer read 691.5. The pilot, acting under his mechanic authorization, was performing maintenance including replacement of all six cylinders with new ones. He had flown to Chandler for a required wing inspection the day before the accident and was returning to North Las Vegas. Communication with the aircraft owner indicated that three days prior, the engine operated well and the airplane was nearly ready for flight. An email the evening before noted the inspection had been difficult but the airplane was flying great with cylinder head temperatures equalizing. The plan was to complete paperwork and return the airplane to service after the accident day.
Meteorological Information
A routine weather report for Boulder City Municipal Airport (elevation 2,201 feet) at 1435 reported wind from 140 degrees at 25 knots gusting to 30 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 36°C (97°F), dew point -3°C (27°F), altimeter 29.67 inches of mercury, and 8% relative humidity.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The first identified point of contact was a circular ground scar with a narrow 21-foot-long scar perpendicular to the debris path. The fuselage orientation was opposite the debris direction, and the debris field measured about 80 feet by 80 feet. The separated propeller hub with spinner and three blades was at the initial contact point. Nearby were a separated connecting rod for cylinder number six and the cylinder itself. The main wreckage, consisting of the engine and airframe, was located 34 feet beyond the initial point. The rear canopy was 76 feet past that point. The front of the airplane sustained severe upward crush damage, with the forward fuselage and wings crushed upward approximately 45 degrees. The nose landing gear separated, while both main landing gear remained attached and extended. Both flaps were extended and had upward crush damage to their trailing edges. The left horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and trim tab were crushed, with chevron-shaped damage and a black viscous substance on the inboard forward portion. The right horizontal stabilizer and rudder appeared undamaged.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the Clark County Coroner determined the pilot's cause of death as blunt force trauma. Toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team found no carbon monoxide, volatiles, or tested drugs; a test for cyanide was not performed.
Tests and Research
Examination of the wreckage at Air Transport in Phoenix, Arizona, on June 26, 2013, revealed flight control continuity from the control surfaces to the deformed cockpit. Many push-pull tubes were bent, buckled, or fractured. The oil sump contained numerous metal chunks, and the oil filter element and chip detector were contaminated with metallic debris. The warning light annunciator panel had both chip light bulbs with stretched filaments, while other bulbs were intact. A JPI EDM-700 engine monitor was installed but had no recording capability. The NTSB Materials Laboratory examined the number six cylinder and found that nuts were missing from the through bolts on the number six side. The aft upper stud had pulled from the crankcase, stripping threads. The seventh stud had its nut present but the deck plate was missing. Fretting damage was observed on the mounting pad adjacent to the through bolts and studs, consistent with cylinder rocking.