# Accident 19970831029039A: Beech E90, Albuquerque, NM, August 31, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 31, 1997, 17:40 local time
- Place: Albuquerque, NM
- Airport: Albuquerque International Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: GNLA
- Location: 35.0605° N, 106.6200° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0605&lon=-106.6200&mi=10
- Aircraft: N16NM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BEECH E90
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A28
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 12,050 total, 200 in this make and model, 74 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA334) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970831029039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NOISE GEAR RETRACT AND UNSAFE LIGHT FOR LANDING. RIGHT MAIN FOLDED LANDING TORQUE TUBE HAD FAILED DUE FATIGUE. (.19) ON AUGUST 31, 1997, AT 1740 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH E-90, N16NM, OPERATING AS A LIFEGUARD FLIGHT FROM SANTA ROSA, NEW MEXICO, TO ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DURING LANDING ROLL AT ALBUQUERQUE. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, 2 FLIGHT NURSES, AND THE PATIENT WERE NOT INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THIS TITLE 14 CFR PART 135 MEDICAL FLIGHT WHICH DEPARTED SANTA ROSA, NEW MEXICO, AT 1634. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, WHEN THE LANDING WAS RAISED AFTER DEPARTURE, BOTH THE PILOT AND FLIGHT NURSE HEARD A NOISE FROM THE LANDING GEAR THAT THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR WITH.  WHEN THE LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED ON ARRIVAL AT ALBUQUERQUE, AN UNSAFE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR INDICATION WAS PRESENT.  THE PILOT SECURED THE RIGHT ENGINE, FEATHERED THE RIGHT PROPELLER, AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING.  DURING LANDING ROLL THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. (.4) DURING INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING TAKEOFF FROM SANTA ROSA ON A MEDICAL EVACUATIO N FLIGHT, WITH A PATIENT AND 2 FLIGHT NURSES ABOARD, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FAILED TO FULLY RETRACT. PRIOR TO LANDING AT ALBUQUERQUE THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DID NOT LOCK IN THE DOWN POSITION.  DURING LANDING ROLL, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT THE RETRACTION/EXTENSION TORQUE TUBE FAILED IN FATIGUE.  (-23) ON AUGUST 31, 1997, AT 1740 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH E-90, N16NM, OPERATING AS A LIFEGUARD FLIGHT FROM SANTA ROSA, NEW MEXICO, TO ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DURING LANDING ROLL AT ALBUQUERQUE. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, FLIGHT NURSE, AND PATIENT WERE NOT INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THIS TITLE 14 CFR PART 135 MEDICAL FLIGHT WHICH DEPARTED SANTA ROSA, NEW MEXICO, AT 1634.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW97LA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA334), Aug 31, 1997: Beech E90 (N16NM), Albuquerque, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fatigue failure of the right main landing gear retraction/extension torque tube.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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