N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Deridder, Louisiana 70634
Sunday, November 25, 2012 15:42 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that the airplane was in cruise flight at 5,500 feet mean sea level when he heard an "odd" sound coming from the engine. He diverted to the nearest airport but then saw oil on the windscreen and smoke in the cockpit. When he realized he would not reach the diversion airport, the pilot made a gear down landing in a field. Before touchdown, the pilot pushed the control column forward in an attempt to avoid a stall, and the airplane landed hard. Examination of the engine revealed damage consistent with oil starvation. Examination of the engine assembly did not reveal any blocked or restricted oil ports/galleys or slipped/elongated bearings that would result in a loss of oil or oil pressure. Examination of the cap for the oil dipstick revealed it was severely corroded and the tangs used to secure it to the oil filler tube were missing. The cap for the oil gauge rod (dipstick) had separated from the dipstick and was found several feet away from the main wreckage; thus it is likely that the oil leaked out from this location.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power due to oil starvation after the oil filler cap separated from the oil filler tube during flight due to corrosion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during low altitude operations, which precipitated the onset of a stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/25/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1542
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City DeRidder
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70634
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 305124N
Event Location Longitude 0930000W
Event Location Airport N/A
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1535 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 202
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32217
NTSB Notification Source BTR FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 4 2013 4:35PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N322D
NTSB Number CEN13LA072
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model S35
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number D-7756
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4797
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Jack C. Murrell, Jr
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Shreveport
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71105
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Jack C. Murrell, Jr
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Shreveport
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 71105
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DTN
Departure City SHREVEPORT
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City DeRidder
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 3 2013 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --