Beech V35 accident near Trussville, Alabama, November 28, 2013
On November 28, 2013 at about 3:50 pm local time, a 1967 Beech V35, registered N5655D, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Trussville, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the No. 2 connecting rod due to oil starvation, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2013 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Trussville, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35, built 1967 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N5655D · no longer on the register · serial D-8406
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during approach, he heard a "loud pop" and that the engine then lost total power. The airplane was too far away to glide to the destination airport, so the pilot chose to perform a forced landing to a field, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Subsequent teardown examination of the engine revealed evidence of oil starvation at the No. 2 connecting rod, which resulted in its separation from the crankshaft and its subsequent puncturing of a hole in the crankcase. The oil tube from the main bearing to the No. 2 connecting rod was found clear and unrestricted. At some point during the life of the engine, the interior of the rocker covers had been coated with an unapproved material. The coating material had been flaking off during operation and had been cleaned from two of six of the rocker covers. The four remaining covers still contained the coating material, but it could not be determined if the material caused the oil restriction because none of the material was found in any of the oil or oil passages. However, it is possible that any restricting material dislodged and escaped during the engine failure.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 139 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command; 6,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 26, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,080 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 2013; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 2,714 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORF Norfolk VA at 12:20 pm
- Destination: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.47 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from BHM, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.