Beech A36TC accident near Vega, Texas, August 2, 1988
On August 2, 1988 at about 4:17 am local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N3707Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vega, Texas. 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
UNREPORTED PROPELLER STRIKE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1988 · about 4:17 am local time
- Place
- Vega, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N3707Z · no longer on the register · serial EA 150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN ENGINE OIL STARTED TO APPEAR ON THE WINDOWS. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE AIRPLANE TO AN AIRPORT BEFORE THE OIL PRESSURE WENT TO ZERO. AFTER LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, THE ENGINE STARTED TO VIBRATE, AND THE PROPELLER SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. WITH NO FORWARD VISIBILITY AND VERY LITTLE SIDE VISIBILITY, THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY SERVICE ROAD; HOWEVER, DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED HIGHWAY SIGNS AND REFLECTORS. THE PILOT SAID THERE WAS A FIRE ON THE HIGHWAY, BEHIND THE AIRPLANE, BUT IT NEVER REACHED THE AIRPLANE. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT THAT WAS INITIATED BY A PRE-EXISTING FATIGUE CRACK. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT OPENING OF THE FATIGUE CRACK LED TO GRADUAL LOSS OF LUBRICATING OIL, THEN SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 570 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1988; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 2:30 am
- Destination: MAF Midland TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N3707Z 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.