Beech C23 accident near Dublin, New Hampshire, August 7, 1995
On August 7, 1995 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N9310S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dublin, New Hampshire. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO IMPROPER MAJOR OVERHAUL OF THE ENGINE BY THE REUSE OF WORN PISTON PINS. THE ROUGH/ UNEVEN TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1995 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Dublin, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N9310S · no longer on the register · serial 1633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CRUISING AT 4500 FEET WHEN HE OBSERVED A LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATION FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING ON AN OPEN FIELD, DURING WHICH THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE FIREWALL BUCKLED. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT ALL PISTON PINS WERE REUSED AT LAST OVERHAUL, 121 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. DURING POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION, ALL PISTON PINS WERE FOUND TO BE BELOW SERVICE LIMITS. ADDITIONALLY, '...THE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED FROM METAL PARTICLES GENERATED BY THE LOOSE FITTING PISTON PIN PLUGS, CAUSING PROGRESSIVE CONTAMINATION OF THE ENGINE LUBRICATION SYSTEM.'
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: 212 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 141 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVY Beverly MA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: EEN Keene NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from ASH, 25 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.
Other NTSB records under N9310S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.