History of Flight
On June 8, 2019, at 0914 eastern daylight time, a Beech A36, registration N8014T, was destroyed in an accident near Mattituck, New York. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight.
After departure, the tower controller approved a radio frequency and transponder code change, ending communications with the airplane; the pilot had not requested flight following services. At approximately 0911:52, while at 3,325 ft mean sea level (msl) and 107 knots groundspeed about 1 mile north of the shoreline near Northville, New York, the airplane's track turned right from its heading of 060° and began descending. It turned to about 120° and crossed the shoreline at Suffolk, New York, at 0912:41, at 2,175 ft msl and 88 knots. At that time, the pilot contacted air traffic control, reporting an engine failure and his intention to perform a forced landing in a field.
The controller assigned a discrete transponder code and requested information. The pilot again stated his plan to land in a field. About one minute later, the controller reported loss of radar contact, and no further communications were received.
Radar data showed the airplane turning eastbound over New York State Route 48, then continuing to descend. It entered a tight left turn, reversed course to the west near a commercial farm, and radar contact was lost. The last radar target was at 25 ft msl and 88 knots, about 200 ft east of the accident site.
Witnesses near the site described the airplane as flying low; one asked if it was a crop-duster. One witness heard the engine, while another did not. Surveillance video captured the airplane at low altitude in a steep left bank, turning from north to west, descending behind trees before impact. A dark plume of smoke appeared immediately after.
Aircraft Information
According to the mechanic who worked on the airplane, the pilot had expressed concern about higher-than-usual oil temperature and low oil pressure. The mechanic changed the oil and filter, then ran the engine. Post-run, he removed and opened the filter, finding metal debris. After consulting the pilot, he sent an oil sample for analysis and told the pilot he was uncomfortable working on the engine and recommended replacement. The mechanic stated that he repeatedly stressed to the pilot, in the weeks and days before the accident, that visual inspections and oil analysis results indicated rapid engine degradation and potential for immediate catastrophic loss.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest inverted on a commercial farm, with a wreckage path of 105 ft oriented on a magnetic heading of 270°. All major components were accounted for. The cockpit, cabin, empennage, and both wings were consumed by post-crash fire. The vertical stabilizer and left horizontal stabilizer were impact-damaged but intact; the right horizontal stabilizer was separated. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to all surfaces. The landing gear was retracted. The flap actuator was fire-destroyed, so pre-impact flap position could not be confirmed.
The propeller separated from the crankshaft; all three blades were secure in the hub, each exhibiting aft bending, light scratching, and some leading edge polishing. The engine rotated by hand through an accessory drive pad, with powertrain continuity confirmed through the valve train. Thumb compression was confirmed on all cylinders except Nos. 2 and 6; borescope exam of those cylinders revealed debris around valves consistent with soot and ash, preventing full valve seating.
Spark plugs showed normal wear with light grey electrodes. The magnetos were rotated; impulse couplings engaged but no spark was produced. Disassembly revealed internal components melted from heat. The fuel manifold contained trace fuel; its internal spring, diaphragm, and screen were intact and free of water and debris.
Detailed engine examination showed the No. 1 main aft bearing had shifted. The crankcase halves had fretting and lock slot elongation. The rear of the crankshaft was disconnected from the main bearing, with extensive internal and thermal damage. The severely burned oil filter contained large metal flakes of ferrous and non-ferrous materials, consistent with internal catastrophic failure. The aft main bearing was heavily damaged, with a spun bearing in the rear main journal.
The engine-driven fuel pump was tested: air was drawn into the intake port and exited the output ports when actuated. The fuel pump drive coupling examined at the NTSB Materials Laboratory showed multiple ratchet marks and striations on fracture surfaces consistent with multiple initiation fatigue cracking and fatigue fracture; microvoid coalescence was also present, consistent with overstress separation.
Medical and Pathological Information
Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and tested-for drugs.