Beech 35 N4654D accident near Batesville, Arkansas

Probable cause

An in-flight control system flutter encounter during a turbulence encounter; the reason for the flutter could not be determined.

NTSB analysis

The v-tail-equipped airplane was descending from cruise flight when it encountered turbulence, which was followed by shaking from the tail of the airplane. The pilot reduced engine power and pulled back slightly on the yoke. According to the pilot, the shaking stopped, and the airplane seemed to operate normally for the rest of the flight. After landing, the pilot noticed damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed buckling and wrinkling to the aft fuselage skins. Control cable tension could not be determined because of the fuselage damage. The balance of the ruddervators was checked and found to be within the manufacturer's specifications. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the airplane encountered tail surface flutter in turbulent conditions.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN18LA099 for the full record.