Beech M35 accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada, May 19, 2001
On May 19, 2001 at about 5:32 pm local time, a Beech M35, registered N9820R, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot/owner's failure to correctly install the oil filter, which resulted in oil exhaustion and a loss of engine power. Also causal was his attempt to modify the design of the oil filter element adapter by breaking the bond between the base and the threaded shaft, which resulted in a loss of torque during filter element installation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2001 · about 5:32 pm local time
- Place
- North Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech M35 · all M35s on the register
- Registration
- N9820R · no longer on the register · serial D-6364
- 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 obstructions during a forced landing precipitated by a loss of engine power. In a radio exchange with the control tower, the pilot reported a total loss of oil pressure. The airplane had accrued about 1 hour of flight time since a owner-assisted annual inspection was accomplished during which the owner changed the oil and filter element. Post accident examination of the underside of the forward fuselage/engine compartment area revealed an oil filter element hanging free from the oil filter base by the installation safety wire and fresh oil on the underside of the fuselage. The airplane had a STC'd remote mounted oil filter base that used a screw on filter element. The installation location was in the aft engine compartment on the forward side of the firewall, requiring a blind insertion of the element by feel only onto the threaded shaft. The only way to see the element pad and threaded shaft is by mirror or by looking up through the right cowl flap with a light. Examination of the filter base revealed evidence of thread damage to the first complete thread in the bore. The first 5 or 6 threads of the shaft were damaged, also with a cross the thread appearance to the first 2 or 3 threads. Other threads were damaged and had the appearance of attempted file repair. Both ends of the shaft revealed internal damage to the bore of the shaft. During manufacture, the shaft is permanently factory installed to a depth about 5 threads with red Locktite and torqued into the base. No evidence of Locktite was noted on the shaft or in the base bore. According to the Aircraft Maintenance Technician and IA who approved the annual inspection, the pilot/owner had recently commented to him that other filter elements could be used besides the one specified for the system. The pilot reportedly told the mechanic that you could either unscrew the 3/4-16 shaft from the other elements or the ones without a shaft could be screwed onto the shaft in the base unit.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,329 hours in all
- Last flight review: January 22, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,294 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2001; 1 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: VGT North Las Vegas NV at 5:20 pm
- Destination: North Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,004 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from LAS, 1 miles away
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.
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.