Beech 35 accident near Topeka, Kansas, April 9, 2007
On April 9, 2007 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N460B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Topeka, Kansas (Philip Billard Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The use of unapproved bolts to mount the crankshaft and gear together, causing fatigue and failure of those mounting bolts, resulting in the subsequent loss of engine power. Factors contributing to the accident were the separation of the crankshaft gear, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2007 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Topeka, Kansas · Philip Billard Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N460B · no longer on the register · serial D-1477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, shortly after departing runway 18 she heard what "sounded like a loud backfire, a single bang," and then the engine lost power. The pilot selected a nearby field and performed a forced landing. During the landing the nose gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft gear separated from the crankshaft and was loose inside the accessory case. The upper portions of five of the six screws used to secure the gear to the crankshaft were found in the accessory case. Metallurgical examination of the fracture surface revealed signatures consistent with fatigue fractures. One screw was sectioned and tested for hardness with the results of 29, 30, 30, and 31 Rockwell C Harness (HRC). According to TCM, the drawing specifies an H5 fastener with a hardness requirement of 32 through 37 HRC. In addition, the head of the screw had a diameter of .40 inches or less. The TCM drawing specifies a diameter of .44 inches. According to TCM, this could have resulted in inadequate torque for this installation. An examination of the airplane flight controls and engine controls revealed no anomalies.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,275.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E185 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOP Topeka KS at 6:30 pm
- Destination: MKC Kansas City MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,331 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KTOP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.