Beechcraft 95-B55 N221Q

Summary

On 22 December 2003 at about 22:49 local time, a Beechcraft 95-B55 registered N221Q was involved in an accident near St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. 2 people were 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

22 December 2003 at 22:49

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Paul, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP)

Coordinates

44.9344, -93.0600

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-B55

Registration

N221Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

South St. Paul → St. Paul

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

CHI04LA046

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the worm drive bearing that resulted in the failure of the landing gear extension/retraction gearbox, which ultimately resulted in the extension of the landing gear not being possible. A factor to the accident was the airport sign that the airplane impacted during the wheels-up landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane sustained substantial damage while landing wheels-up, subsequent to the crew being unable to extend the landing gear. The certified flight instructor (CFI) stated the landing gear did not fully extend and the gear-down lighting did not illuminate while on downwind. The CFI reported they attempted to retract the landing gear, but the gear-up light did not illuminate. The CFI stated they attempted to extend the landing gear again; however, the cabin began to fill with smoke, and the gear motor and right generator circuit breakers both tripped. The CFI reported they performed the manual gear extension procedure without success. The CFI stated that "The manual gear extension handle was not catching anything and turning very loosely." The CFI reported they landed with the landing gear retracted and subsequently impacted a runway sign. Subsequent to the accident the landing gear extension/retraction system was examined while the airplane was elevated on jackstands. The landing gear did not extend using the electric or the manual gear extension procedure. The landing gear extension/retraction gearbox was disassembled for further inspection. One of the actuator worm gear bearings was found in several pieces, resulting in the worm gear being lodged between the sector gear and the gearbox housing. According to the Beech 95-B55 maintenance manual, the landing gear extension/retraction gearbox is to be replaced or overhauled every 2,000 hours. The accident airplane's gearbox assembly had accumulated 2,137 hours since the last overhaul and 6,342 hours since new.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.