Beech P35 accident near Perry, Florida, March 5, 2023
On March 5, 2023 at about 9:45 pm local time, a 1963 Beech P35, registered N9777Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Perry, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel’s incorrect torquing of the oil filter adapter jam nut, resulting in the failure of the adapter threads, a complete loss of oil, and subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2023 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Perry, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech P35, built 1963 · all P35s on the register
- Registration
- N9777Y · registry record · serial D-7160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About an hour into the flight, while cruising at 8,500 ft, light smoke entered the cabin momentarily, and the engine oil pressure dropped to zero. The pilot turned toward a nearby airport and shortly thereafter the engine lost power. Unable to glide to the airport, he saw a cleared field and set up for a forced landing. The airplane touched down on sandy soil, the nose gear dug in and separated, and the airframe was substantially damaged. The pilot was not injured. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the oil filter adapter separated at the engine case which likely resulted in a depletion of the engine’s oil supply and the subsequent total loss of engine power due to lack of lubrication. Residual oil covered the area around the adapter-to-engine case opening and below. The adapter threads appeared stripped. The adapter was safety wired in position and there was red torque putty applied as well. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that an annual inspection of the airframe and engine was completed about 29 hours before the accident. The logbook entries noted that an airworthiness directive that addressed security of the connection between the oil filter adapter and the engine case, including checking for proper torque, had been complied with during the inspection. The separation of the filter and stripping of the adapter threads were likely indicative of the oil filter adapter threads having failed due to improper torquing of the jam nut.
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 defining event
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 31 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 14, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,364 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 9, 2022; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor I0-470 SERIES (piston); 2,705 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPF Tampa FL at 8:45 pm
- Destination: AAF Apalachicola FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KAAF, 73 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAAF 052053Z AUTO 13009KT 10SM CLR 24/17 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP186 T02440172 56008 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on June 5, 2024. 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/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Written Statement to FAA | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Memorandum for Record - Mechanic Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Excerpt - Aircraft Logbook | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Excerpt - Engine Logbook | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Memorandum for Record - Aircraft Time Since Last Inspection Discrepancy | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Video Provided by A&p Mechanic Showing Oil Filter Adapter Separation - 1 | MOV file | Download |
| 9 | Video Provided by A&p Mechanic Showing Oil Filter Adapter Separation - 2 | MOV file | Download |
| 10 | Airworthiness Directive 96-12-22 | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Aopa Pilot Article | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA23LA173.