Beech V35 accident near Rougemont, NC
On May 21, 2023, a Beech V35 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Rougemont, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 21, 2023
- Place
- Rougemont, NC
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.227°N, 79.031°W
- NTSB ID
- 20230521192203
Official records · ERA23FA238
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 21, 2023, at 1115 eastern daylight time, a Beech V35 airplane, N272S, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Rougemont, North Carolina. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight was operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot departed Oconee County Regional Airport (CEU), Clemson, South Carolina, about 0948, en route to Orange County Airport (MGJ), Montgomery, New York, where he planned to drop off the airplane for its annual inspection. The pilot did not file a flight plan and did not communicate with air traffic control. According to ADS-B data, after the airplane departed CEU, it climbed to an altitude of about 5,500 ft mean sea level (msl) on a northeasterly heading. The airplane descended to 2,600 ft msl for a portion of the flight and then returned to 5,500 ft msl. Around 1110, the airplane began to slow and descend. About 1 minute later, the airplane made a 90° left turn followed by a 90° right turn, while continuing to slow and descend on a northeasterly heading. The last data point at 1115 showed the airplane at 1,100 ft msl, about 375 ft west of the accident site, with a ground speed of 56 knots. About 0.5 miles from the accident site, a witness heard the airplane fly “loud and low” overhead. The witness, who was also a pilot and airplane mechanic, said that the airplane’s engine was losing power and backfiring. He hoped the pilot could make it to a nearby airport, but he also knew there was a field in front of the airplane if the pilot needed to land. A short while later, he heard the
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to oil starvation. The source of the oil starvation could not be determined.
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Browse: North Carolina · Beech aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
