Beechcraft V35 N9453S

Summary

On 9 September 1997 at about 13:45 local time, a Beechcraft V35 registered N9453S was involved in an accident near Sulphur Springs, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 September 1997 at 13:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Sulphur Springs, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Sulphur Springs Municipal (SLR)

Coordinates

33.1395, -95.6102

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35

Registration

N9453S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Paris → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA342

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's delayed extension of the landing gear.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was preparing for a commercial pilot check flight. He had failed 2 previous check flights. On the first failed check flight, the airplane was about 20 ft AGL before the pilot lowered the landing gear during a 'simulated' emergency. During the second check flight, short field landings were unsatisfactory. During the accident flight, the pilot was practicing short field landings for another check flight. During the flare/touchdown for one of these landings, the right main gear collapsed, and the inboard right main gear door scraped the runway. A mechanic reported that when he entered the cockpit (after the accident), the gear handle was in the 'down' position, and the landing gear motor circuit breaker was 'popped.' When the mechanic turned on the master switch and pushed the circuit breaker 'in,' the gear motor ran for 2 seconds, and the 'green' gear down indicator light illuminated. The gear system components were intact, and no discrepancies were found with the gear system or the electrical system. A witness observed that the right landing gear was not fully extended when the right wing struck the runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.