Beech N35 accident near Wardsville, Missouri, July 20, 2022
On July 20, 2022 at about 11:45 pm local time, a 1961 Beech N35, registered N1228Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Wardsville, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Engine failure due to oil starvation resulting from an oil leak at the improperly installed aftermarket oil filter adapter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2022 · about 11:45 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Wardsville, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35, built 1961 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N1228Z · registry record · serial D-6688
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the flight was uneventful until he was approaching the destination airport. During the approach, he observed the oil pressure drop to zero and, shortly afterward, the engine started running rough. The pilot subsequently heard a “bang” from the engine and observed smoke from under the engine cowling. The engine lost power completely and he executed a forced landing to a field. The airframe sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that the engine failed because of oil starvation. At the time of the examination, the aftermarket oil filter adapter was loose and not safety wired in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness directive.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure other cases naming the engine
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level other cases naming the engine
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Incorrect service/maintenance other cases naming the engine
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,578 hours in all; 3,721 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 6,447 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 30, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 20, 2021; 91 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-470-N (piston); 7,420 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0TE4 Hilltop Lakes TX at 3:15 pm
- Destination: JEF Jefferson City MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KJEF, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KJEF 202353Z 31008KT 10SM CLR 33/17 A2979
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 10 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Accident Airplane
Photo 2 – Accident Airplane
Photo 3 - Engine
Photo 4 – Oil Filter Adapter
Photo 5 – Oil Filter Adapter
Photo 6 – Oil Filter Adapter
Photo 7 – No. 1 Cylinder Connecting Rod
Photo 8 – No. 4 Cylinder Connecting Rod
Photo 9 – No. 5 Cylinder Connecting Rod
Photo 10 – Connecting Rod Cap / Bolt FragmentsThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
15 documents, released by the NTSB on November 15, 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.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1228Z on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft N35 167 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-470-N 12 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Hilltop Lakes Airport · departed from
- Jefferson City Memorial · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Missouri 1,640 since 1982 · 219 in the last ten years
- Missouri 5,821 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN22LA330.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.