Accident Summary
On February 8, 2018, about 1415 central standard time, a Beech G35 airplane, N4654D, sustained substantial damage during a flutter event near Batesville Regional Airport (BVX) near Batesville, Arkansas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from Beaufort County Airport (ARW), Beaufort, South Carolina, at an unconfirmed time.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that most of the flight was uneventful, with the airplane performing "flawlessly." After about 4 hours of cruising flight, while descending through about 3,500 ft msl at 145 kts airspeed, the airplane encountered a few seconds of turbulence, followed by shaking coming from the tail. The pilot reduced engine power and pulled back slightly on the yoke. The shaking stopped, and the airplane seemed to handle normally. The airplane landed at BVX, and upon exiting, the pilot noticed damage to the fuselage. The flight was smooth except for the brief turbulence near the destination.
Postaccident Examination
The accident airplane was equipped with a V-tail empennage. Examination revealed buckling and wrinkling of the aft fuselage skins. All control cables running to the tail surfaces were loose; determination of cable tension prior to the event was not possible due to the damage. A balance check of the ruddervators showed the left was tail heavy with a measured moment of 19.04 inch-lbs, and the right was tail heavy with 18.76 inch-lbs. The acceptable maximum tail heavy moment per the maintenance manual is 19.8 inch-lbs.
Maintenance and Airworthiness
The Pilot's Operating Handbook lists a maximum structural cruising speed of 152 kts and a maneuvering speed of 113 kts. The manufacturer issued a Safety Communique in 1993 stating that to prevent flutter, control cable tension inspections should be performed, and after repainting of control surfaces, verification of control surface balance should be done. The G35 model was included in FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) 94-20-04 R2, issued to prevent structural failure of the V-tail. The AD required inspection and incorporation of stabilizer reinforcements per Beech Service Bulletin No. 2188 (May 1987). The most recent annual inspection, dated April 23, 2017, indicated compliance with the AD.