Beech 95-B-55 accident near Crothersville, Indiana, March 26, 1989
On March 26, 1989 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech 95-B-55, registered N27WF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crothersville, Indiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF THE ENGINE DUE TO A CRANKSHAFT COUNTERWEIGHT FAILURE. THE PILOT PERFORMED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, WHERE THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A LARGE MUDDY AREA, BOGGED DOWN AND NOSED OVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 1989 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crothersville, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 95-B-55 · all 95-B-55s on the register
- Registration
- N27WF · registry record · serial TC-694
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, WHILE IN NORMAL CRUISE, THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED TOTALLY. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER ON THE LEFT (OPERATING) ENGINE TO 'CURTAIL THE VIOLENT VIBRATION OF THE AIRCRAFT' AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROLLING OUT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, IT ENCOUNTERED A MUDDY AREA. THE NOSE GEAR BOGGED DOWN, THEN COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE PIN RETAINING PLATE CUT THROUGH THE CRANKSHAFT COUNTERWEIGHT, RELEASING IT. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE COUNTERWEIGHTS HAD NOT BEEN 'TUFTRIDED', A SURFACE HARDENING PROCESS WHICH PREVENTS THE PIN RETAINING PLATE FROM CUTTING/WEARING THROUGH THE COUNTERWEIGHT. THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN REQUIRED ON NEW ENGINES SINCE 1968, AND ON REBUILT ENGINES SINCE 1973-74. THE ACCIDENT ENGINE WAS REBUILT BY THE MANUFACTURER IN 1971. LOGBOOK/MAINTENANCE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE PILOT WAS INCOMPLETE.
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: 474 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 332 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1988; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,125 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BQM Louisville KY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: BQM Louisville KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from LOU, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N27WF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.