Accident Beechcraft E33 Bonanza N7697N, Tuesday 25 February 2025

You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.

Date:	Tuesday 25 February 2025
Time:	13:45
Type:	Beechcraft E33 Bonanza
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N7697N
MSN:	CD-1201
Year of manufacture:	1968
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Lower Creek Airport (NC27), Lenoir, NC - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Wadesboro-Anson County Airport, NC (KAFP)
Destination airport:	Somerset-Lake Cumberland Regional Airport, KY (SME/KSME)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities

Narrative:
On February 25, 2025, about 1345 eastern standard time, a Beech E33, N7697N, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lenior, North Carolina. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

According to the pilot, the airplane’s annual inspection was completed about 3.7 hours before the accident. During the annual inspection, the No. 6 cylinder was replaced due to low compression. The pilot subsequently departed from the Anson County Airport (AFP), Wadesboro, North Carolina, to return to his home airport, the Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME), Somerset, Kentucky. About 45 minutes after takeoff, at an altitude of 6,500 ft, the pilot noticed the engine rpm increase. The pilot reduced the rpm with the propeller controller and about 5 minutes later, the rpm increased again. The pilot tried to reduce the rpm again with the propeller control but this time it would not adjust. He decided to not continue the flight over mountainous terrain, and land at the closest airport, which was the Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), Hickory, North Carolina. Approximately 5 minutes later, the engine experienced a catastrophic failure, with engine parts exiting from the top of the engine cowling. The pilot glided the airplane to Lower Creek Airport (NC27), Lenoir, North Carolina; however, the airplane was a little too high and fast, and landed long on the grass runway. The airplane skidded off the end of the runway, and then contacted a fence, substantially damaging the leading edges of both wings.

The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Accident investigation: