Beech V35B accident near Warwick, Rhode Island, September 21, 1985
On September 21, 1985 at about 2:26 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N5NG, was destroyed in an accident near Warwick, Rhode Island (Providence airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1985 · about 2:26 pm local time
- Place
- Warwick, Rhode Island · Providence
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5NG · registry record · serial 9433
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE AT 5000' MSL, THE PLT TRANSMITTED THAT HE HAD AN ENG PROBLEM & REQUESTED CLEARANCE TO LAND AT THE PROVIDENCE/THEODORE FRANCIS GREEN STATE ARPT, WHICH WAS APRX 12 MI AWAY. THE PLT THEN ASKED THE CONTROLLER IF THAT WAS THE CLOSEST ARPT; HOWEVER, DUE TO THE RADIO CONGESTION, THE CONTROLLER HAD DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE PLT. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED TO THE PROVIDENCE ARPT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASHED ACROSS AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY APRX 2 MI FROM THE ARPT WHILE ON A HEADING IN THAT DIRECTION. DURING THE CRASH LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A CONCRETE DIVIDER/BARRIER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENG CRANKSHAFT, PN 639243, HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE AT TWO LOCATIONS. THE FORWARD FAILURE WAS THRU THE CRANKCHEEK BETWEEN THE #2 MAIN BEARING JOURNAL & THE #3 CONNECTING ROD CRANKPIN. THE AFT FAILURE WAS THRU THE CRANKCHEEK BETWEEN THE #4 CONNECTING ROD CRANKPIN & THE #3 MAIN BEARING JOURNAL. BOTH FATIGUE CRACKS HAD SUBSURFACE ORIGINS.
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: 1,604 hours in all; 1,304 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,338 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,519 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 1985; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA-10B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORH Worcester MA at 2:09 pm
- Destination: 0B6 Chatham MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,081 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from PVD, 1 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.