Beech 35-C33A accident near Key West, Florida, March 10, 1991
On March 10, 1991, a Beech 35-C33A, registered N4828J, was destroyed in an accident near Key West, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHILE RETURNING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING FOLLOWING PROPELLER FAILURE, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING AND ENTERING A SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1991
- Place
- Key West, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-C33A · all 35-C33As on the register
- Registration
- N4828J · no longer on the register · serial CE-115
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES RPTD THEY HEARD PROPELLER OVERSPEED FOLLOWED BY ENGINE PWR BEING REDUCED TO IDLE AS IF PILOT PULLED THROTTLE CLOSED. ACFT THEN BANKED TO LEFT AND ENTERED SPIN TO THE LEFT CRASHING INTO A PARKING LOT. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, ACFT STRUCTURE, AND FLIGHT CONTROLS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER REVEALED THE NUMBER TWO BLADE PITCH CHANGE ACTUATING PIN HAD FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. THE PIN HAD BEEN INSTALLED AT OVERHAUL, 600 FLT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, BY FOLLOWING MCCAULEY SERVICE BULLETIN 99 WHICH IS NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS MODEL PROPELLER. THE PIN WAS INSTALLED BY USING A SHORT THREADED PIN, A THIN SPACER, AND A BLIND HOLE IN THE FERRULE. THIS COMBINATION ALLOWED THE PIN TO BOTTOM OUT IN THE HOLE THUS NOT TORQUING PROPERLY AND THUS CRACKING DUE TO APPLIED LOADS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1990; 103 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PBI West Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 22 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.
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.