# Accident 19980923035579A: Beech A35, Christmas Valle, OR, September 23, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 23, 1998, 14:00 local time
- Place: Christmas Valle, OR
- Airport: Christmas Valley Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.2395° N, 120.5906° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.2395&lon=-120.5906&mi=10
- Aircraft: N516B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N516B-2004-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A35 (registry code 1151504, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A35
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA186) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980923035579A

## Narrative

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

ACFT ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF, BUT THE ACFT DID NOT GET OFF THE GROUND. THE ACFT STRUCK MANGROVES DAMAGING THE RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS, PROPELLER, AND NOSE GEAR.(-23) LANDING GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND ELECTRICALLY OR BY MANUAL EXTENSION. PILOT LANDED GEAR UP CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT REPORTED AFTER LIFTING AIRCRAFT WITH A SLING, BOTH MAIN EXTENDED WITH HAND CRANK, BUT, THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT. A BROKEN STEP CABLE WAS FOUND WRAPPED AROUND NOSE STRUT. AFTER CABLE REMOVED NOSE WAS MANUALLY PULLED DOWN. CABLE FOUND BROKEN AND EXTREMELY CORRODED. AIRCRAFT HAD LAST ANNUAL 1991. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1998, AT 1400 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH A35, N516B, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, LANDED WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED AT THE CHRISTMAS VALLEY AIRSTRIP, CHRISTMAS VALLEY, OREGON. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM CHRISTMAS VALLEY, FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF HE RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND HEARD A "SNAP" OR "POP."     THE PILOT CYCLED THE LANDING GEAR AND FOUND THAT THE GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO HAND CRANK THE LANDING GEAR DOWN WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE PILOT RETURNED TO CHRISTMAS VALLEY AND LANDED GEAR-UP.

## 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 SEA98LA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA186), Sep 23, 1998: Beech A35 (N516B), Christmasvalley, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: A jammed nose gear. A corroded cable and the failure of the owner to have an annual inspection performed on the airplane were factors.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.