Beech F33A accident near Wilder, Idaho, August 21, 2022
On August 21, 2022, a 1975 Beech F33A, registered N4133S, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Wilder, Idaho (Parma airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Catastrophic engine failure during the initial climb due to an incorrectly installed crankshaft counterweight retaining ring.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2022
- Place
- Wilder, Idaho · Parma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A, built 1975 · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N4133S · no longer on the register · serial CE-591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained a catastrophic engine failure shortly after takeoff due to a separated crankshaft counterweight. The pilot performed a forced landing, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage. The engine had been overhauled about 14 years and 950 flight hours before the accident. Examination of the remaining counterweights revealed that, during that overhaul, some of their retaining pins had been installed back to front. According to the engine manufacturer, such installation has been known to cause failure of the counterweights and the catastrophic damage observed. The correct installation is documented in the engine maintenance manual and reiterated in a service bulletin that was published 5 years before the engine was overhauled.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng rear section › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,460.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 2022; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 2,490 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 50S Parma ID at 11:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12/3, 2,700 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KEUL, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KEUL 202356Z AUTO 26006KT 10SM CLR 36/13 A2985 RMK AO2 SLP081 T03560133 10361 20289 56014
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on April 25, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Initial Engine Disassembly Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Teledyne Continental Service Bulletin M93-4 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Manual Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | NTSB Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | FAA Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N4133S 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.