Beech A36 accident near Early, Texas, April 17, 2005
On April 17, 2005 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N4311S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Early, Texas (Brownwood Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the improper installation of the oil filter resulting in oil starvation and eventual seizure of the engine. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2005 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Early, Texas · Brownwood Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N4311S · registry record · serial E-684
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A 7,378-hour Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) reported that they had just departed the airport and established a cruise-climb, with a 752-hour private pilot at the controls, and one passenger in the rear of the airplane. During the cruise-climb the engine went to full rpm, and then the ATP noticed that the engine oil pressure indicated zero. During the attempted return to the airport, the engine seized and the private pilot turned the controls over to the ATP. The ATP executed a forced landing in a field 4-miles east of the departure airport. Examination of the engine by an NTSB investigator revealed that the oil filter was improperly installed, and the O-ring at the base of the filter was broken. Additionally, the oil filter's adapter plate was found cracked, which allowed the engine oil to be pumped overboard while in flight.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,378 hours in all; 416 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 6,094 as pilot in command; 742 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 9, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 752 hours in all; 389 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 94 in the last 30 days; 697 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 31, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,806 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 9, 2005; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BWD Brownwood TX at 12:10 pm
- Destination: MBT Murfreesboro TN
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 12:05 pm from BWD, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.