Beech K35 accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, August 25, 1991
On August 25, 1991 at about 5:56 pm local time, a Beech K35, registered N817R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL POWER LOSS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS AND CONNECTING ROD CAP BOLTS RESULTING FROM THE MAINTENANCE FACILITIES' FAILURE TO OVERHAUL THE ENGINE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1991 · about 5:56 pm local time
- Place
- Tulsa, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K35 · all K35s on the register
- Registration
- N817R · no longer on the register · serial DG015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE ENGINE WAS RUN UP TO FULL POWER WITH THE AIRPLANE TOW BAR ATTACHED. AS THE NOSE STRUT COMPRESSED, THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE TOW BAR. A SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE STATING THAT THE ENGINE SHOULD BE DISASSEMBLED AND INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE. THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY DID NOT ADVISE THE OWNER OF THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE INCURRED. AS A RESULT OF THE PROPELLER STRIKE, THE CRANKSHAFT MAIN BEARINGS ROTATED IN THE SADDLES, FAILING MECHANICALLY. THIS RESULTED IN THE BLOCKAGE OF OIL PASSAGES AND THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD CAP BOLTS. TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED. SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS NOT AVAILABLE. IMPACT OCCURRED IN SOFT CULTIVATED TERRAIN.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 376 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 282 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,090 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1990; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGF Springfield MO at 4:40 pm
- Destination: HSD Sundance OK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N817R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 FTW91FA158.