Beech V35 accident near Rutledge, Tennessee, September 2, 2023
On September 2, 2023 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1967 Beech V35, registered N5431U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rutledge, Tennessee. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of a retaining circlip in one of the No. 2 crankshaft cheek counterweights, which resulted in liberation of the counterweight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2023 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rutledge, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35, built 1967 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N5431U · registry record · serial D-8515
- 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 he was about 15 minutes into the cross-country flight when the engine made a “loud bang,” began to run rough, and eventually seized. Unable to glide to an open field, the pilot conducted a forced landing into trees. He and his passenger were not injured; however, the airplane was substantially damaged. Examination revealed several holes in the engine case, and one of the No. 2 crankshaft cheek counterweights was missing. Further examination revealed two of the counterweight retaining circlips were fractured. Examination of the fractured circlips revealed that one of the circlip legs failed from fatigue crack propagation. The engine had been disassembled and the crankshaft inspected due to a propeller strike about 130 operating hours before the accident.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site 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 ERA23LA361.