Beech A36 accident near Heavner, Oklahoma, March 12, 2022
On March 12, 2022 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1971 Beech A36, registered N9410Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Heavner, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to oil exhaustion which resulted from improper engine maintenance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2022 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Heavner, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36, built 1971 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N9410Q · no longer on the register · serial E-286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he noticed the engine oil pressure dropped to 14 psi after he began the descent to his destination airport. He turned toward a nearby airport, but shortly thereafter the oil pressure dropped to 0 psi and the engine seized. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field and the airplane sustained substantial damage to its wings when it struck fences and livestock feeding troughs during the landing. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed several missing and loose bolts securing the engine valve covers. The No. 4 cylinder valve cover was completely off and its gasket was not located after the accident. The No. 6 cylinder valve cover was very loose and was only held on by 4 of the 8 bolts normally used to secure the cover. The No. 4 cylinder valve arm shaft bolt was missing. Metal shavings were observed throughout the valve assembly area as well as deposited on the cowling and airplane along with the lost engine oil. Review of maintenance records did not reveal any recorded maintenance to the rocker covers since the most recent engine overhaul 6 years before the accident. Maintenance entries since the overhaul indicated routine maintenance, including annual/100-hour inspections and oil changes, with no leaks detected during post-maintenance engine runs. Attempts to discover when the rocker covers were last accessed for maintenance were unsuccessful. Based on the available evidence the loss of engine power was due to oil exhaustion that resulted from improper installation of the engine valve covers. Determination of when the improper maintenance was performed could not be determined based on the maintenance entries that were available.
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 (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,367 hours in all; 1,020 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,296 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 20, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,168 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 17, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 3,599 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 887 hours total
- Operator: Hook Em LLC
The flight
- Departed from: VBT Bentonville AR at 6:15 pm
- Destination: MEZ Mena AR
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.46 inHg
- Observation at 12:35 pm from KRKR, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRKR 121835Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 04/M06 A3046 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on July 26, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | E-mail Correspondence with FAA Inspectors | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Airframe Maintenance Records Excerpt | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Engine Maintenance Records Excerpt | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Memorandum of Conversation with FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.