Beech P35 accident near Belle Glade, Florida, November 17, 2001
On November 17, 2001 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Beech P35, registered N9754Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belle Glade, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine oil for undetermined reasons that resulted in the engine seizing, a forced landing on a dirt road, and an impact with a vehicle on the dirt road during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2001 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Belle Glade, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech P35 · all P35s on the register
- Registration
- N9754Y · no longer on the register · serial D7145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he had been airborne for about 20 minutes and looked at the JPI indicator which showed that the oil temperature was 89 degrees and the oil pressure was zero. He said he then entered a turn to go to State Road 84 and execute an emergency landing, and during the turn a loud bang occurred and the engine ceased operating. He then saw a dirt road about 15 miles southwest of State Road 84, and executed a forced landing there instead, but during the landing rollout the left wing tip impacted a pick-up truck that had been parked on the dirt road and it veered into a ditch. The FAA Inspector who responded to the accident scene found clean oil on the bottom of the fuselage, but did not determine the source of the oil leak. The following day when salvage personnel returned to the accident scene to retrieve the airplane wreckage for a detailed examination, they found that the airplane had burned. The engine compartment and aft, to include the cabin and inboard two thirds of both wings had incurred fire damage. Only the wing tips and empennage remained undamaged. Examination of the engine revealed that the rear and right side of the engine had incurred fire damage. In addition, the examination showed that there was an opening in the engine case at the No. 4 cylinder position, and the No. 4 connecting rod was protruding through the opening. Both the No. 4 and No 5 connecting rods had separated from the crankshaft, and both connecting rods as well as all main bearings exhibited signatures consistent with oil starvation.
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: 1,060 hours in all; 425 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 897 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,986.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 2001; 37.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO470N14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HWO Pembroke Pines FL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: SEF Sebring FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 19 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PBI, 39 miles away
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.
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.