Beech A36 incident near Natchitoches, Louisiana, December 29, 2004
On December 29, 2004 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N920GL, suffered minor damage in an incident near Natchitoches, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to pre-ignition and detonation. Contributing factors were the lack of suitable terrain available for the forced landing and the unapproved installation of a turbocharger.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 2004 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Natchitoches, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N920GL · no longer on the register · serial E-2776
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 15,000-hour commercial pilot reported that while he was in cruise flight at 12,000 feet mean sea level (msl) during an IFR cross country flight, he began to smell smoke and noticed the engine began to surge. After requesting a lower altitude, the air traffic controller advised him of the nearest airport. During the descent, at an altitude of approximately 9,000 feet msl, "the engine lost oil pressure" and the pilot shut the engine down using the mixture control. The "engine continued to turn over" as he heard "several loud explosions and observed fireballs at the propeller hub" before the propeller stopped turning. After realizing he was unable to make it to the airport, the pilot elected to land in a field approximately 1/2 mile south of his intended airport. After maneuvering the airplane under a set of power lines, the pilot landed in an open field. A detailed examination of the engine was completed at the facilities of the engine manufacturer. The examination revealed that the crankshaft and counterweights assembly exhibited lubrication distress of a varying degree to all connecting rod journals and bearings. The number six piston head exhibited detonation and pre-ignition damage. The examination concluded that a turbo-normalizing system had been installed and the installation of a turbo-normalizing system on an engine originally certificated as a normally aspirated model containing high compression pistons is contrary to the recommendations in TCM Service Bulletin M64-18 and can reduce the engine's detonation margins.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 66Y Diamondhead MS at 9:45 pm
- Destination: F17 Center TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.