Beech A36 accident near Lynchburgh, Virginia, March 5, 1998
On March 5, 1998 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N1559X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lynchburgh, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the number six connecting rod bolt due to improper maintenance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1998 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lynchburgh, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N1559X · no longer on the register · serial E2476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot heard a loud bang, felt a thump, and saw the engine cowling deflect upward. He reduced engine power, and turned towards the departure airport. After a second loud bang, followed by severe vibration the pilot shut down the engine, and performed a forced landing to a field. Examination of the wreckage revealed two holes in the top of the engine crank case which were over 8 inches in diameter. One of the engine's number six cylinder connecting rod bolts showed signs of a catastrophic failure, the other number six connecting rod bolt was intact and did not contain a nut. Examination of the number six connecting rod, and connecting rod bolts revealed severe mechanical impact damage to the threads of the intact bolt. The broken bolt had three different fracture features. One was consistent with failure in shear, a second was consistent with a tensile overstress separation, and the majority of the third had a rubbed appearance. The connecting rod bolts and nuts had been replaced 375 hours before the accident flight. The last annual inspection of the airplane was performed about 16 months prior to the accident.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 325 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 1996; 202 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LYH at 9:00 pm
- Destination: INT Winston Salem NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from LYH, 1 miles away
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.