Beech 35 N1258Z accident near Sidney, Iowa

Probable cause

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, the accident flight was the third following an annual inspection; the airplane had flown about 1.5 hours since the completion of the annual inspection. About 80 minutes into the flight, the engine ceased to produce power. When the pilot moved the throttle from the cruise setting to idle and then back to the previous setting, the RPM gauge fluctuated, but power could not be restored. He said that while looking for a place to land, he and his passenger began detecting a "slight burning smell."

He conducted an emergency landing to a grass field. Upon touchdown, the nose gear collapsed, and the left main gear was compressed up and into the left wing, resulting in substantial damage to the wing.

Postaccident examinations of the engine, ignition system, fuel system and propeller governor found no evidence of any anomalies or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN20LA145 for the full record.