Beech 35-B33 accident near Boulder City, Nevada, May 21, 2000
On May 21, 2000 at about 1:49 am local time, a Beech 35-B33, registered N9591Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder City, Nevada. 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
The fracture and separation of the oil pressure line fitting, which resulted in a loss of oil and an oil starvation failure of the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2000 · about 1:49 am local time
- Place
- Boulder City, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-B33 · all 35-B33s on the register
- Registration
- N9591Y · registry record · serial CD-546
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a berm during a forced landing following a catastrophic engine failure as the airplane descended toward the destination airport. The pilot reported that the flight was uneventful until they were preparing to start a descent over Lake Mead. Suddenly a loud 'pop or clunk' noise came from the engine compartment and the engine began to vibrate and run roughly, then quit altogether. This was accompanied by a large amount of smoke. The pilot setup for a landing on a paved model airplane field and landed successfully; however, he could not stop the airplane prior to colliding with a berm and collapsing the landing gear. Following recovery of the aircraft, the engine was examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector. A large hole was observed in the upper left rear engine case in the area of the Nos. 1 and 2 connecting rods. The No. 2 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft with the journal end severely peened and damaged. The rod end was protruding from the hole in the case. The No. 2 bearing insert was destroyed, with heat discoloration noted on the journal saddle. The corresponding portion of the crankshaft was also heat discolored and scored. The inspector observed that the oil pressure line from the engine to the Hobbs meter pressure switch was broken at the switch's fitting. Oil was noted covering the engine compartment area around the broken fitting.
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: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 147 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 2000; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Glendale Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 11:50 pm
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 199°F (93°C), dew point 100°F (38°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from LAS, 15 miles away
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.
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 LAX00LA202.