N9324SBeech B24R · 1975

On February 10, 2025, about 1455 mountain standard time, a Beech B24R, N9324S, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Skull Valley, Utah. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The flight instructor reported that this was the first flight in the accident airplane for both he and the student pilot. After an uneventful taxi and engine run up, they departed Spanish Fork Municipal Airport/Woodhouse Field (SPK) Spanish Fork, Utah, about 1310 while using the right-wing fuel tank. About twenty minutes later, the flight instructor demonstrated the procedure for switching fuel tanks and switched to the left fuel tank and continued the flight toward the Tooele-Bolinder Field/Tooele Valley Airport (TVY) Tooele, Utah. After another twenty minutes the flight instructor switched to the right tank.

About ten minutes after switching the right tank the flight instructor heard the engine make a “strange noise,” felt a jolt and the engine lost total power. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and initiated a forced landing to an open area near the Interstate 80. While troubleshooting, the flight instructor advanced the mixture to full rich, switched the fuel tank selector to the left tank, and ensured the fuel boost pump was on, however, was unable to restore engine power. During the landing roll, to soft, lightly vegetated terrain, the left main landing gear separated, and left wing impacted the terrain, which resulted in substantial damage the aft fuselage.

The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.