Beech A36 accident near Pinckneyville, Illinois, May 14, 2021
On May 14, 2021 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1973 Beech A36, registered N1875W, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Pinckneyville, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to oil starvation. The reason for the oil starvation could not be determined based on available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2021 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pinckneyville, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36, built 1973 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1875W · registry record · serial E-437
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While at an altitude of 8,000 ft mean sea level, the pilot noticed the engine oil pressure began to fluctuate. The pilot then requested to divert to the nearest airport, and shortly thereafter, the engine began to shake and lost total power. Unable to make the airport, the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane’s nose wheel landing gear impacted a ditch. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that connecting rods 2 through 5 were fractured and separated from the crankshaft, and the connecting rod bearings were destroyed. Heat distress signatures were noted on the crankshaft connecting rod locations. The connecting rod bearings number 1 and 6 displayed significant scoring consistent with a lack of oil lubrication. It is likely the engine failure was the result of oil starvation to the connecting rod bearings, however, the reason for the oil starvation could not be determined based on the available evidence.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 403 hours in all; 333 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 403 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 21, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2020; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 343 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GGP Logansport IN at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 42A Melbourne AR
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 3:07 pm from KSAR, 15 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSAR 142007Z AUTO 16006KT 10SM CLR 20/02 A3029 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N1875W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN21LA221.