Beechcraft 95-B55 N88CS

Summary

On 24 July 2004 at about 00:45 local time, a Beechcraft 95-B55 registered N88CS, operated by GFA Aircraft Sales, was involved in an accident near Minden, Nevada, 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

24 July 2004 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Minden, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Minden-Tahoe (MEV)

Coordinates

39.0003, -119.7511

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-B55

Registration

N88CS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

GFA Aircraft Sales

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Minden → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA276

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's failure to lower the landing gear during landing approach, which resulted in his inadvertent gear up landing. A factor was his distraction due to a component malfunction.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the approach, the pilot failed to extend the landing gear, and the airplane touched down on the runway with retracted landing gear. The pilot was an airplane mechanic, and he was in the process of preparing the airplane for export. The accident occurred during the first flight following his replacement of both engines' propeller assemblies. On departure, while concentrating on synchronizing the engine's speed, the pilot detected "a slight smell of electrical burning" in the cockpit. The odor increased on the downwind leg, and the pilot "expedited" the base leg and believed that he had extended the landing gear. During the landing flare the stall warning horn sounded and the propeller blades contacted the runway. Subsequently, the Federal Aviation Administration coordinator conducted an examination of the airplane. The airplane was placed on jacks and the landing gear system was tested. The landing gear was completely cycled three times with positive indications of the gear being up and then in the down position. This was noted by the gear up and down indicator lights, and also by the gear mechanical indicator. The starter vibrator was found discolored and charred indicating the presence of an overheated condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.