Amateur-built BE360 accident near Celina, Texas, May 23, 2003
On May 23, 2003 at about 6:40 pm local time, a amateur-built BE360, registered N72BJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Celina, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of propeller pitch effectiveness for undetermined reasons. 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
- May 23, 2003 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Celina, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BE360
- Registration
- N72BJ · registry record · serial BE-001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 1,222-hour pilot reported that during the flight several aerobatic maneuvers were completed with "no apparent abnormalities." A "half loop down" was initiated at an approximate airspeed of 95 to 100 mph. At the base of the maneuver, at an approximate airspeed of 160 to 170 mph, the pilot heard a "loud high pitch noise accompanied by a rapid decrease in airspeed." The pilot reduced the power to idle, increased the mixture to rich and cycled the propeller pitch to high, then to low. The pilot observed the tachometer "falling through 3,800 rpm." The pilot stated that "repeated attempts to bring the rpm within range using the throttle and propeller controls failed as the aircraft appeared to be descending between 500 and 1,000 feet per minute at an airspeed of 95 mph." During the descent, the pilot observed "the tachometer continuing to show the engine turning at 3,200 rpm with the throttle at idle." Subsequently, the pilot initiated a forced landing to a wheat field. During the landing roll, the left main wheel hit a hole, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination of the propeller governor by a FAA inspector revealed, "small amounts of metal flakes were blocking the pressure relief valve from opening and to stick in the closed position." The propeller governor was sent to the manufacturer for further examination. The propeller governor was noted to be free of anomalies during the bench test and examination at the manufacturers facility.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,222 hours in all; 423 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 30, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1D; 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T31 Mc Kinney TX at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Celina TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N72BJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.