Beech E95A accident near Poplar Grove, Illinois, September 20, 1994
On September 20, 1994 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Beech E95A, registered N9581Y, was destroyed in an accident near Poplar Grove, Illinois (Belvidere Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Aircraft control not maintained by the pilot when he began his turn from base leg to final approach. Factors associated with this accident were the fatigue failure of a propeller blade, improper maintenance overhaul of the propeller, and a material defect in the propeller blade clamp screws.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1994 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar Grove, Illinois · Belvidere Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E95A · all E95As on the register
- Registration
- N9581Y · no longer on the register · serial TD523
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH ATC AFTER EXPERIENCING WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS A LEFT ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONTROLLER GUIDED THE PILOT TO A NON-CONTROLLED AIRPORT FOR A LANDING. WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE ENTER DOWNWIND FOR THE SOUTHEAST RUNWAY. THEY SAID THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A TURN FROM BASE LEG TO FINAL APPROACH. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SPIN AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONE BLADE OF THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER BLADE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ASSEMBLY. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THE SEPARATION WAS INITIATED BY A FATIGUE FRACTURE NEXT TO THE BLADE'S INNER CLAMP. TWO OF THE CLAMP SCREWS HAD FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE OVERLOAD. THE INNER CLAMP HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH SCREWS THAT THE PROPELLER MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE BULLETIN SAID HAD TO BE CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT TYPE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 368 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 281 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,815 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1994; 3,815 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATO Waterloo IA at 9:26 pm
- Destination: PWK Wheeling IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from RFD, 13 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.