At about 17:00 CDT, a Beech F35 was damaged during descent toward Jackson. VMC prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured. The pilot reported that he was descending in smooth air at 650 fpm to 4,000 feet when he heard a woofing noise coming from the tail. The controls shook continuously. The airplane power settings were 16 inches of manifold pressure and 2,100 rpm, and the indicated airspeed varied from 155 to 160 mph. The pilot said that the sound went away after he reduced power to idle. He put the gear down and stabilized the airspeed at 120 mph, then landed without further incident. After landing the pilot noted that there was extensive damage in the area of the empennage, including wrinkled skin, chipped paint, sheared rivets and buckled stringers.
May 7, Jackson, Miss. / Beech Bonanza
At about 17:00 CDT, a Beech F35 was damaged during descent toward Jackson. VMC prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The pilot was not injured. The pilot reported that he was descending in smooth air at 650 fpm to 4,000 feet when he heard a woofing noise coming from the tail. The controls shook continuously. The airplane power settings were 16 inches of manifold pressure and 2,100 rpm, and the indicated airspeed varied from 155 to 160 mph. The pilot said that the sound went away after he reduced power to idle. He put the gear down and stabilized the airspeed at 120 mph, then landed without further incident. After landing the pilot noted that there was extensive damage in the area of...
Key Takeaways:
- A Beech F35 experienced significant damage to its empennage (tail section) during descent, characterized by a "woofing" noise and continuous control shaking in smooth air.
- The pilot effectively resolved the in-flight issues by reducing power to idle, which immediately stopped the noise and shaking.
- Despite extensive post-landing damage observed in the tail area (wrinkled skin, buckled stringers), the pilot was uninjured and landed the aircraft safely.
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