Accident Overview
On September 23, 2023, at 1625 central daylight time, a Beech A36, registration N67CD, was involved in an accident near El Dorado, Arkansas. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot and a flight instructor received minor injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight.
Flight Details
The accident flight was a cross-country flight intended to provide the pilot/airplane owner with training required by the pilot's insurance carrier. The airplane operated normally during the first two hours, but thereafter the fuel flow/consumption rate was about 22 gallons per hour, which the flight instructor considered slightly high. Attempts to lean the mixture resulted in engine roughness, which temporarily smoothed after enriching the mixture. This pattern repeated several times, with the instructor progressively moving the mixture control forward. Eventually, the roughness became more severe, and the instructor moved the mixture to full rich and diverted to an alternate airport. The engine lost power while en route, and the instructor executed a forced landing to a field. During landing, the fuselage and wings sustained substantial damage.
Postaccident Examination
During recovery, about 50 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel was drained from the aircraft. The left wing fuel tank contained about 20 gallons; the right wing fuel tank had breached on impact and its contents drained. The auxiliary fuel tanks held an unknown quantity. A postaccident engine test run from idle to maximum power showed no anomalies; the engine started and ran smoothly without the symptoms experienced during the accident flight. Maintenance records indicated the engine had been overhauled and reinstalled about one month before the accident, and the fuel pump was adjusted to a flow of 35.9 gallons per hour at full power 12 days prior.