Beech N35 accident near Fort Meade, Florida, February 28, 1993
On February 28, 1993 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Beech N35, registered N1354Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Meade, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE COLLISION WITH A ROAD SIGN DURING A FORCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1993 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Meade, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N1354Z · registry record · serial D-6774
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER. DURING THE DESCENT FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING, THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PROPELLER STOPPED. THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD, AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A ROAD SIGN. THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE THEN CAME TO REST. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED NEAR THE REAR COUNTERWEIGHT. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT IT FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE WHICH EMANATED FROM A SUBSURFACE ORIGIN. REVIEW OF THE ENGINE LOGBOOKS REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT WAS THE ORIGINAL WHEN THE ENGINE WAS MANUFACTURED ON APRIL 14, 1961. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 4,032 HOURS TOTAL TIME, AND HAD BEEN OVERHAULED TWO TIMES, THE LATEST OCCURRING IN 1986. AT THAT TIME THE CRANKSHAFT WAS MAGNAFLUXED. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 1,032 HOURS SINCE THE LATEST OVERHAUL.
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: 806 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 731 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,032 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1992; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 10:20 pm
- Destination: DKX Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from LAL, 18 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.