Beech J-35 accident near Myersville, Maryland, June 4, 1986
On June 4, 1986 at about 2:36 pm local time, a Beech J-35, registered N7266B, was destroyed in an accident near Myersville, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1986 · about 2:36 pm local time
- Place
- Myersville, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech J-35 · all J-35s on the register
- Registration
- N7266B · registry record · serial D-5614
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 3500 FEET THE PILOT STATED HE EXPERIENCED A RAPID LOSS OF POWER. UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE, HE WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A PASTURE WHICH WAS DIVIDED BY BARBED WIRE FENCES. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. TEARDOWN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FAILED BETWEEN THE #2 CONNECTING ROD BEARING JOURNAL AND THE #2 MAIN BEARING JOURNAL. LABORATORY EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE FORWARD FRACTURE FACE OF THE UNDAMAGED AREAS HAD CHARACTERISTICS INDICATIVE OF HIGH CYCLE, LOW STRESS FATIGUE CRACK PROPAGATION.
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
- Flight time: 4,655 hours in all; 4,130 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4,555 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,619 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1985; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAI Gaithersburg MD at 2:20 pm
- Destination: HGR Hagerstown MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:34 pm from HGR, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.