Beech F33 accident near Hobe Sound, Florida, August 23, 2019
On August 23, 2019 at about 1:46 pm local time, a 1974 Beech F33, registered N80WH, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Hobe Sound, Florida. It was a personal 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 bearing shift, which resulted in a loss of lubrication to the crankshaft, the failure of the crankshaft, and 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
- August 23, 2019 · about 1:46 pm local time
- Place
- Hobe Sound, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33 A, built 1974 · all F33s on the register
- Registration
- N80WH · registry record · serial CE-504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During low-altitude cruise flight, the engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing on an embankment next to a road, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing, right tip tank, and right elevator. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft was fractured between the No. 2 main bearing journal and the No. 2 connecting rod journal and exhibited evidence of lubrication distress. Additionally, the No. 2 bearing had shifted, and a large portion of the bearing had extruded from the bearing support. The bearing support mating surfaces displayed fretting and the lock tab had completely worn away. Based on the observed damage, it is likely that the No. 2 main bearing shifted, resulting in inadequate lubrication to, and subsequent failure of, the crankshaft. While the crankcase mating surfaces displayed unapproved sealant material with no signs of silk thread, which was not consistent with the engine manufacturer’s guidance for engine assembly, the breakaway through bolt torque remained at or above the manufacturer’s specification. It could not be definitively determined, based on available evidence, if the use of an unapproved sealant contributed to the bearing shift.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,037.6 hours in all; 2,339.6 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 0.5 in the last 30 days; 2,991.8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 9, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,674.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 2019; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550B (piston); 1,031 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 1:20 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:47 pm from SUA, 11 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
8 documents, released by the NTSB on April 14, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Interview | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Examination Report | PDF, 36 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Engine and Aircraft Logbooks | PDF, 17 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Excerpts from Continental Motors Engine IO-550-B Maintenance and Overhaul Manual | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Continental - Service Bulliten SB03-3 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Wreckage Release | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.