Accident Details
On March 5, 2023, at approximately 1645 eastern daylight time, a Beech P35 airplane, registration N9777Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Perry, Florida. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country trip.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that the flight originated at Peter O Knight Airport (TPF) in Tampa, Florida, with a destination of Apalachicola Regional Airport (AAF) in Apalachicola, Florida. About one hour into the flight, while cruising at 8,500 feet, light smoke briefly entered the cabin and the engine oil pressure dropped to zero. The pilot turned toward Perry-Foley Airport (FPY) in Perry, but shortly thereafter the engine lost power. Unable to glide to the airport, the pilot identified a cleared field and executed a forced landing. He lowered the flaps to full and extended the landing gear. The airplane touched down on sandy soil, causing the nose landing gear to dig in and separate. The aircraft came to rest upright, and the pilot exited the cockpit and was met by first responders.
Examination Findings
An initial examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed structural damage to the lower forward fuselage. The pilot initially reported that the air hose to the oil-air separator had failed and that the separator’s canister was split open and empty of oil. The engine crankcase contained no oil, and the engine was seized. Oil was observed covering the lower fuselage surfaces.
Further examination by an airframe and powerplant mechanic found that the oil filter adapter had separated from the engine case. Residual oil covered the area around the adapter-to-engine case opening and below. The adapter threads appeared stripped. The adapter was secured with safety wire and had red torque putty applied.
Maintenance History
A review of the maintenance logbooks showed that an annual inspection of the airframe and engine was completed on December 9, 2022. At the time of the accident, the engine had accrued about 29 hours since that inspection. The logbooks indicated compliance with Airworthiness Directive (AD) 96-12-22, which addresses the security of the connection (jam nut) between the oil filter adapter and the engine case, including proper torque checks.