Beech A36 accident near Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee, March 15, 1992
On March 15, 1992 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N174OD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee (Maury County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE MANUFACTURER'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TORQUE INFORMATION WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF TORQUE ON THE CYLINDER HOLD DOWN NUTS AND THE COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1992 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee · Maury County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N174OD · no longer on the register · serial E1796
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A VIBRATION AND STARTED RUNNING ROUGHLY. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND ESTABLISHED A TRACK FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A NEARBY COUNTY AIRPORT; THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT ONE MILE SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY DISCLOSED THAT A PIECE OF THE CRANKCASE WAS BROKEN ABOVE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER AND THE CYLINDER WAS PARTIALLY SECURED BY ONE HOLD DOWN NUT ON THE BOTTOM LEFT SIDE. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED FRETTING BETWEEN THE CYLINDER FLANGE AND THE ENGINE CASE. ALL CRANKCASE FRACTURES SHOWED SIGNS OF OVERLOAD FAILURE. THE ENGINE MAINTENANCE LOGS DISCLOSED THAT THE ENGINE'S CRANKCASE HAD BEEN REPLACED ON 10/24/90; THIS ENGINE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED 258 HOURS LATER. SUBSEQUENT TO THIS ACCIDENT, CONTINENTAL MOTORS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH INCREASED THE TORQUE VALUE FOR THE CYLINDER HOLD DOWN NUTS, AND INSTRUCTED THAT THE STANDARD SIX POINT HOLD DOWN NUTS BE REPLACED WITH TWELVE POINT NUTS DURING OVERHAUL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,420 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,262 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,273 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1992; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HSV Huntsville AL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: SPI Springfield IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,003 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from BNA, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.