N119EDBeech 35 · 1948

On August 1, 2022, about 1130 eastern daylight time, a Beech 35, N119ED, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Wauchula, Florida. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane as a “barn find,” and that it had not been flown or serviced in 12 years. The accident flight was the first flight after completing the annual inspection. The pilot reported that, while en route, the radios began blinking and the airplane subsequently experienced a total loss of electrical power. He used the emergency handle to lower the landing gear and diverted to the closest airport. He prepared for a faster than normal landing because he was unable to lower the wing flaps. The airplane touched down and immediately veered to the left. He attempted to correct with right brake to no avail. The airplane exited the side of the runway and impacted a utility box, and the left main landing gear collapsed.

According to the pilot, the tires were new, and the wheel bearings had been removed, cleaned, and repacked. The pilot further reported that, “due to the age of the plane and the lack of service for so many years, all of the wheel components could have used replacement.”

A Federal Aviation safety inspector from the Orlando Flight Standards District Office reported that his postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. There were ground scars from the three tire tracks in the airplane’s direction of travel from the runway to the utility box. The landing gear was down and locked. The main landing gear brakes moved freely, and no bald spots were observed on the tires. He noted that the left main landing gear wheel rotated, but it was “hard to spin.” There was no evidence of any other preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.